Out of the Shadows
by Mandolin Reign
Summary: An old friend returns to the grave shift after a life changing event, where she finds a future she didn’t know was possible. Set during seasons 4&5. Nick/Mandy.
1. Chapter 1

**Out of the Shadows**

_AN: This is based on a fic I had been working on, but had sadly lost interest in when the plot bunnies stopped visiting. I've pulled that one and reworked it, polished it, and changed A LOT of it. Out of the Shadows is completely finished, so I can promise you won't be left hanging. I have also begun working on a sequel, so I truly hope you enjoy it._

_Big thank yous to __**Mingsmommy**__ and __**Smacky30**__ for their incredible beta skills, their encouragement, and their advice. This never would have happened without them._

_CSI is not mine, just borrowing and having lots of fun with it!_

_**Chapter 1 **_

File in hand, Nick walked into the print lab, "Hey Jacqui-" He stopped short. Instead of Jacqui, he saw an old friend standing there. "Mandy!" His face brightened when she looked up and smiled.

Mandy hadn't worked the night shift in almost a year. During that time he'd actually only seen her occasionally when their shifts overlapped. And it had been even longer since he saw her smile so sweetly.

The last time he'd seen her during the middle of the night was also the last night shift she'd worked, until now.

He tried to forget the night he'd walked in on her during what was possibly the last conversation she ever had with her husband, Mike. Ecklie came into the lab less than two hours later to solemnly inform the print tech that the father of her two young children had been involved in a fatal accident. The only blessing in the situation was that Mike had just dropped their children at pre-school.

Everyone from night shift went to Mike's funeral. He remembered vividly the somber and heartbreaking sight of a black garbed Mandy, obviously numb with grief, clutching the hand of her young son with her toddler daughter on her hip while her husband was lowered into the ground. He didn't get a chance to speak with her but that sad little memory stayed with him, tugging at his heart occasionally.

"Mandy, what are you doing here?" When she cocked her head inquiringly, he added, "I mean now? You know, because you usually work days." He stumbled over his words, but only seemed to dig in deeper.

After Mike's death, she'd moved to days to better accommodate her kids' schedule. All of her friends on the night shift missed the young widow, but knew she had to do what was best for her family.

"Well, as of tonight, I'm back on nights." She clicked the mouse before turning her attention completely to Nick. Pulling her lab coat closer around herself, trying to stay warm in spite of the over conditioned lab air, she continued, "Jacqui requested a move to swing." When voices in the hall seemed to grow louder, she walked closer to where Nick stood. "Miranda refused to go to nights, so Ecklie asked if I would, and of course I was more than willing to oblige."

"Oh, yeah?" He was a little surprised.

"Well, I was _when_ the deal was sweetened with a promotion and a raise." She didn't sound as excited as most people would after getting a promotion.

"Promotion?" He crossed his arms. "Do tell."

"Yeah, you are looking at the new Lead Print Tech for Clark County." She sounded proud of the title in spite of the hassle it no doubt caused in her home life.

"How's that work with the kids?" He knew she'd had some trouble juggling between work and daycare after Mike's death. "I mean, where are the kids while you're here at night?" He leaned against the counter behind him.

Mandy forced a smile. "My mom spends the nights I work at my place."

"Oh." He wasn't sure if this was good or bad, but her tone told him it wasn't great news.

"Yeah, the extra money pretty much made the decision for me, and my mom was willing, so..." She shrugged.

"How's that going?"

"Well, it's been three days and she's still helping. Of course, knowing her, she's snooping through everything I own, but on the bright side you haven't been called to investigate a murder at my house. Yet." There was a spark of the old playful Mandy.

Nick's eyes stayed on Mandy; he had been missing her sense of humor, and was glad to have her back. He must have stared a little too long though, because she interrupted his thoughts. "Did you have something for me?"

"What? Oh…uh… yes. These, but no big rush." He handed over the prints.

"Okay, let me finish running Catherine's triple, they've been waiting since before I got in, but then I'll get right on yours."

"Thanks." Nick turned to walk out. "Hey," he spun back around.

"Yeah?" Mandy was already back at work.

"We need to celebrate." He announced it as if he'd just discovered a rare gem.

"What?"

"Your promotion! And it's your choice, breakfast after shift, or dinner before next shift."

"Alright," she was touched that he seemed to care. "Dinner. I have to get home to fix breakfast for my kids and get them to preschool."

"Good, tomorrow night. Say…ten?" His tone said that _no _would not be an acceptable answer. "I'll get Greg and Warrick to join us. We'll have a pre-shift party."

The shift carried on as normal; of course it was dotted with mini reunions when her former coworkers realized she was back.

Archie, who had run into her when she left Ecklie's office, was the only one who knew she was coming back to nights. He brought her a Starbuck's venti white chocolate mocha to celebrate. "There aren't many people I would order this for," he announced when he handed her the sweet drink that would no doubt help her through her first all-nighter in over a year.

Judy was sweet, running around the reception desk to give her a hug before she even made it through the front doors, catching her a little off guard, but making her feel like she'd come home in the process.

Grissom had handed her some evidence to process, but before leaving the room he quietly told her, "It's good to have you back Mandy." From him, she took it as compliment.

Catherine walked in, handed over some glasses that needed to be printed and walked out, only to reappear seconds later at the doorway, "Mandy, you're back on nights?" In all fairness, she seemed to be in the middle of a cell phone debate with Lindsay, and her smile when she returned seemed sincere.

When Archie's white chocolate mocha gift was gone, Greg welcomed her back with a cup of his special Hawaiian blend, which he didn't usually part with willingly.

Sara had stopped in to pick up the evidence Grissom had dropped off, and they chatted for a few minutes. She seemed to take a sincere interest in how Alex and Lily were doing, and Mandy appreciated that. All of her friends had been supportive and caring in the days after Mike's death, but over the course of learning to manage the kids and the house over the past year she hadn't been able to keep in touch as much as she would have liked.

Warrick had nothing for her that night, but took a moment to poke his head in and inform her that he was looking forward to dinner the next night.

Even David and Bobby stopped in to say _hi_.

When her break time arrived, Mandy walked into the break room to find Nick already there. "Hey, Stokes." She casually walked behind him to pull her lunch out of the fridge.

"How's your first night back treating ya, Mands?" He watched as she moved other people's food around to find her own. When the microwave beeped, he retrieved his burrito. The enticing scent of the seasoned beef most likely smothered in ooey gooey cheese had Mandy rethinking her ham and Swiss sandwich.

"It's good to be back." She set her sandwich, chips and gala apple on the table and took the seat across from Nick.

"Good." He nodded. He took a bite of his burrito, and after another minute he took a chance on the question he'd wanted to ask for a while now. "So how are you doing? I mean, really?"

She knew what he meant and just shrugged, "I don't know. Some days are good, other times I'll see a picture, or something of his and it'll all come back to me."

Nick nodded.

"The worst is the junk mail and phone calls that he still gets. I think I freaked out one guy on the phone when I told him _I would love to get Mr. Webster for you, but unfortunately I don't do séances_."

Nick couldn't help but laugh at that. Mandy began to laugh a little too, and then she perked up a bit and asked, "How are you doing?"

"I'm all right." He tilted his head. "We've all missed you. It took awhile to get used to seeing someone else in the print lab." He slowly turned his soda can between his fingers on the table.

"Thanks," she smiled. "That's sweet of you to say."

He nodded, and after checking the clock, realized it was time for him to return to work. He cleared away his lunch, and stopped at the doorway. "Don't forget about tonight."

"I won't, promise."

That night, Mandy met Nick, Warrick, and Greg for dinner before shift. They went to PF Chang's at the Aladdin. When they were seated with their food the conversation easily flowed. They talked about work and the various cases including the last one where she had had to testify.

"I swear," she swallowed the last bite of sweet and sour chicken she had put in her mouth, "That is the hardest part of the job. The guy on the left," she moved her left hand slightly for emphasis. "Tries to make you look intelligent and knowledgeable about your job, and the guy on the right," this time she motioned with her right hand, "Tries to make you look like a bumbling idiot who has no clue about anything let alone how to handle evidence."

Nick nearly choked on his cashew chicken, "I never really thought of it like that, but yeah that's basically what it is." He took a sip of his soda to wash down the pieces of rice still stuck in his throat.

Warrick shook his head slightly, then began sternly "Mandy, I know it's been a while, but you really have to watch what you say in front of Nick when he's eating."

Before he could get another bite of shrimp lo mien, Nick deadpanned with, "Thanks man."

Greg, who had plowed through his beef and mushrooms in brown sauce like he hadn't eaten in days, wiped his hands on his napkin and then tossed it on the table. "How are Alex and Lily doing?"

A very natural smile graced Mandy's face. She was always the proud mother. "Alex is all excited about the party for his fifth birthday." She took a quick sip of her diet coke. "Of course it's just ten kids at our house for cake and ice cream, but exciting none the less."

"What? No Chuck E. Cheese?" Warrick teased.

"No, thankfully he hasn't discovered that yet…Probably just a matter of time though." She dipped a piece of chicken into the sweet and sour sauce. "Lily is obsessed with Dora. Everything she sees that's Dora, she wants. She'd watch it twenty-four seven if I'd let her."

They continued talking with the guys filling Mandy in on all of the updates on the night shift staff: Greg led the conversation, with Mandy, Nick, and Warrick exchanging amused glances.

Whether the guys knew it or not, they made Mandy's night. It was her first escape from her every day routine since her life had so drastically changed.

Her first week back on the night shift went by much smoother than her first week of not being home at night. Her mother was full of _friendly _advice about how to raise her kids, clean her house, organize the kitchen, arrange the furniture, even how to fold the laundry. "Mandy, if you fold the jeans like this, you won't have to iron them."

"Iron them? Mom, the kids roll around in the dirt, a few wrinkles are the least of my worries." She knew her mom meant well, but every night the woman had something new to _mention _to Mandy. She politely listened, because truth be told, without her mother's help, she wouldn't have been able to return to the night shift, even with the premium, raise, and promotion. The bill for two kids in preschool was high enough, if she had to add a nanny to spend nights with her kids, she'd be wiped out in no time.

She knew this wasn't how her mother wanted to spend her nights either, but she also knew that as crazy as her mother made her, she would crawl across broken glass for her daughter and grandchildren. However, once across the glass, she would gladly remind everyone within earshot that she'd made this sacrifice for her family.

_To be continued…_


	2. Chapter 2

**Out of the Shadows**

_Big thank yous to __**Mingsmommy**__ and __**Smacky30**__ for their incredible beta skills, their encouragement, their advice, and their patience. This never would have happened without them. A second thank you to __**Smacky30**__ for the help with the title_

_CSI is not mine, just borrowing and having lots of fun with it!_

_**Chapter 2**_

The market was getting busy; it was that time a day when _normal _people were coming to the end of their working day. Mandy, however, had just woken up, showered, and was now buying supplies for that night's dinner before picking the kids up from preschool.

She had already picked out a few chicken breasts to bake, knowing full well that Alex would insist on dunking his pieces in barbeque sauce. Now, she needed a vegetable and after seeing the bright colors of the produce section, had decided on a fruit salad as well.

Picking up various kiwis, looking for one that was soft enough to eat that night, she caught a glimpse of someone trying to find a bunch of bananas that was just the right shade of yellow. "Nick?" He was facing her, but looking at the fruit stand between them. She stood there as he began looking around trying to figure out where the voice had come from.

It only took a fraction of a second for him to realize she was the one who had called his name. "Hey, Mandy." He settled on some bananas that had just the right yellow to green ratio and walked around the stand to where Mandy stood. He checked out the basket she carried. "Chicken tonight?"

"Oh, I can't get anything past your trained eyes, can I?" She teased as she began perusing the ruby red strawberries. "What will you be having?" She looked into his basket. "Fried chicken and coleslaw."

"Hey, don't knock the fried chicken," he playfully scolded her, picking up the deli box. "It's great hot, but it'll be even better cold in the middle of shift." He followed Mandy's lead to where the carrots and celery were.

"I wasn't knocking it." She ran her hand over the top of the pile of bagged carrots, settling on one. "I love fried chicken, especially cold." She glanced down at her watch. "I'm all set. You still need anything?"

Shaking his head, he indicated his basket. "This is it for today." They walked over to the checkout. Nick, always the gentleman, motioned for Mandy to get in line ahead of him.

"Why, thank you kind sir," she curtseyed.

"Smartass," he muttered, hidden by a grin.

"What?" She asked innocently.

"I said…Can I help you with that?" He reached for her basket and lifted both hers and his to the conveyer belt.

Eyeing him suspiciously, she snorted. "Uh huh."

They both took their turns paying and walked out to the parking lot, reaching Mandy's car first. She used her clicker to pop the trunk and placed her two bags in the back. "So, I'll see you tonight?"

"Yeah." She watched as he glanced around the sun soaked parking lot, his eyes squinting in the glare off the other cars. After a brief pause, and a breath, he continued. "Hey, I'll save you some chicken."

"That'd be great, thanks." She unlocked her door and began to slide into the driver's seat.

"Well, see you later." He closed the door.

Mandy watched as he set his purchase on the passenger seat of his truck, and then walked around to get in the driver's seat. She carefully pulled out, and as she passed his car, she waved, not really sure if he had seen her or not.

That night, once again when she walked into the break room, there was Nick. He was standing at the counter, filling a plate with left over chicken and coleslaw. Mandy assumed he must have just started his break as well. Without even looking up, he called to her as she reached in the fridge for her lunch. "Oh, no you don't! Your lunch is right here." When he turned, she could see that he had actually prepared two plates.

"You brought it!" She gratefully took the offered plate and set it on the table, and then went back to the fridge where she pulled out a bottle of water. "You want one?"

"Sure."

She walked back to the table, and handed one bottle to Nick and set the other in front of her. Taking a seat across the table from him, she picked up the greasy, salty treat and took her first bite. "This is good."

Nick started on his as well. "Not bad cold, is it?"

"No, I'm telling you it's better." She picked up her fork then and dug into the coleslaw. "What's keeping you busy tonight?"

"Dead pimp." His unemotional tone told her how much sympathy he didn't have for the guy.

"Any suspects?" Taking a sip of water, she kept her attention on Nick.

He nodded as he bit into his chicken. After a minute, he added, "Too many, and they all have motive." He unscrewed the top of the water bottle, "Hell, from what I know of the guy already, I'd wanta kill him."

"That bad," she felt for him. Nick was known for wearing his heart on his sleeve and for him to already hate the guy, he would have to be a pretty despicable person.

That morning, Nick stopped in Mandy's lab before leaving, "Aren't you done yet?"

"Just," she pressed enter on her keyboard, "sending a print to the FBI's lab." She logged out of the system. "There, now I'm done." She turned to walk around the counter and meet him by the door. "Did you solve the case of the expired whoremonger?"

"Cute," he opened the door for her. "How long have you been waiting to use that one?"

"Eh, an hour or so," she shrugged.

Nick chuckled, "No, not yet."

"Maybe tonight will be better for you." They walked side by side down the hall.

When they reached the locker room, Nick once again opened the door to let her through. "Maybe." He paused for a moment, "You want to meet for dinner before shift tonight?"

"Sure. Did you already ask the guys?" she absently asked as she twisted the combination into her lock and popped it open.

"Actually, I was thinking maybe just you and me?" His hand hovered over the lock as he watched for a response from her.

She traded her lab coat for her purse. "Oh." She closed her locker and realization seemed to jump on her. "Ohhh." She momentarily froze and then quickly recovered, "Okay."

Quickly, he offered her an out. "If you'd rather not…or can't-"

She cut him off, "No…I mean, I wouldn't rather not." She shook her head at how odd her words sounded. Taking a breath, she started over. "Yes, let's go to dinner tonight."

They headed back down the hall to the main entrance of the lab. Mandy dug in her purse for her sunglasses as she and Nick walked into the daylight. "Where should we meet?"

Nick looked around for a minute, "How about Anthony's?" He pulled his keys out of his pocket. "It's just a few blocks from the lab."

"Sounds good." She stopped by her car. "I'll see you at 10?"

"I'll be there."

***

Mandy sat in her car, angrily turning the key and pumping the gas. Nothing. She took her hands off the ignition and pursed her lips, weighing her options. She was already running late for her dinner with Nick. She could call him for a ride and deal with the car tomorrow, or she could call the auto club now and hopefully still drive herself to work tonight. She knew borrowing her mom's car was out, because if she was running late at all in the morning, her mom not only couldn't get the kids to school, but also wouldn't be able to get to her job on time.

Thumping the steering wheel, her frustration only grew. Deciding to give it one last try she turned the key. As the engine sputtered and coughed, she spewed out a stream of obscenities that would've made a sailor blush.

She really didn't want to deal with the headache her car problems would surely cause, and in truth she had been looking forward to dinner all day. Before letting her sensible side take over, she dug her phone out of her bag and scrolled through her contact list until landing on _Nick Stoke_s. Hitting the send button, she eagerly counted the rings. One, Two, Th-

"Hey, we still on?"

After her hesitation when he had asked her out, she worried she'd be letting him down, again. "Yeah, but maybe a slight change in plans?" She opened the car door and stepped out.

"What's up?"

Mandy walked around to the passenger side and leaned on the door. "My car's being stubborn. Would you mind swinging by and giving me a ride?"

"I'll be there in ten minutes."

"Thank you." She hung up the phone and gathered her things together before going back inside to let her mom know that her car would be staying home that night. When she saw him drive up, she thought she heard her mother mutter something under her breath, but chose to ignore it.

As Mandy walked towards the vehicle, Nick climbed out, walked around and opened the passenger door for her. She thanked him once again for helping her out before climbing into the seat. He walked back around to take his place behind the steering wheel.

"So what happened to your car?" He pulled out of her drive.

"I'm not sure yet." She let out a long sigh.

He offered a sympathetic smile.

They hadn't made it too far down the road before Nick's cell phone rang. As if the night couldn't get any worse, Nick was being called in early. They decided to hit a drive thru to keep starvation at bay, and agreed on an after shift breakfast instead.

***

"Hey Nick, you ready?" He was just about to enter the locker room when Mandy called to him from down the hall as she made her way to the locker room as well.

"I might need a minute." He gave a somewhat disgusted look.

She had just about reached him when she suddenly stopped. "Whoa cowboy, I'm not going anywhere in public with you smelling like that!" Now, Mandy was the one looking disgusted.

"Relax, I'm just heading for a shower," he said as he entered the locker room where Greg was just pulling his jacket over his shoulders, readying himself for the cool morning air.

"Oh man, you stink!" Greg waved his hand for emphasis. Mandy couldn't help but laugh as Nick turned on the shower in the distance.

Nick stepped into the shower. He scrubbed every inch of his body and washed his hair three times, but even in the shower he could still smell the pungent stench of death.

Ten minutes later he gave up and turned off the hot spray. Mandy had already waited long enough and he wanted to get ready as fast as he could, but now their plans would have to change somewhat. He quickly dressed and ran a comb through his hair.

When he came around the corner, Nick quickly looked around to be sure they were alone. "Hey." He couldn't help but notice Mandy back up slightly as he got close to her. "Sorry, this smell isn't going away. I need to run to the store for some lemons." He thought for a second. "What if we picked up some groceries and just had breakfast at my place?"

Mandy swallowed, "Okay."

"You sure?" He noticed her apprehension.

She licked her lips and forced a smile, "Yes, I'm sure. I could make breakfast while you shower if you like?"

"Sounds like a plan."

They made their way to the parking lot, not worrying too much if anyone saw them leaving together. They'd already been caught arriving together, but with Mandy's car trouble they had a valid excuse.

Mandy picked up a basket as they entered the store through the sliding doors. "I can get that," Nick offered.

She thought about challenging his offer, but she rather enjoyed Nick's chivalrous side.

The first stop was in the produce section to pick up some lemons. Mandy filled a bag with about half a dozen bright yellow lemons, twisting the bag before setting it in the basket Nick carried. "So what do you feel like for breakfast?"

Nick thought as they began to walk by the remaining produce. "I could do eggs or pancakes, you?"

"Pancakes," Mandy answered simply. They picked up pancake mix, eggs, and milk.

Nicked held the basket out for Mandy to fill. "I have syrup at home, so unless there is something else you want, I think we're all set.

"Orange juice?" Mandy asked.

"Right," he said as he turned on his heel and they backtracked to the dairy case for a carton of orange juice.

A minute later they were standing in line waiting to pay for their purchases. When they reached the cashier, Nick began unloading the basket as he asked, "Did your mom take the kids to daycare?"

"Yeah. I called her when you were in the shower. She already had them up, dressed, and eating."

"Fourteen seventy-three," the young blonde behind the register casually said interrupting their conversation.

Nick pulled out a twenty, and when Mandy tried to stop him, he protested, "Hey, you're cooking; the least I can do is buy the food, so you'd better let me pay for the groceries."

Mandy shrugged in concession. "Hey, if you get rid of that stench, I'm happy either way."

"Is that where that smell is from?" The cashier wrinkled her nose in disgust.

He shrugged his shoulders as he threw his hands up in defeat. "Sorry." He quickly gathered the two bags together and followed Mandy to the car.

They made it back to Nick's house a few minutes later. He carried the groceries to the kitchen, and then turned to his guest, "Do you mind if I head straight to the shower?"

"Not even a little bit. Please go, I'll find my way around the kitchen." She made a sweeping motion with her hands and shooed Nick off to the shower.

He paused long enough to grab a small knife form the drawer. Then, lemons in hand, he headed for his second shower in less than an hour.

Fifteen minutes later he emerged in a pair of tight fitting jeans and a Texas A&M t-shirt that showed his perfectly toned biceps.

"Just in time." Mandy offered him a plate with a couple of pancakes layered on it.

"Thank you." He took the plate to the table where Mandy had set out silverware, orange juice, and coffee for two. He poured syrup on the stack, picked up his fork, and took a bite.

Mandy had taken the seat across from him and began eating as well.

"These pancakes are great." He took another forkful in.

"Thanks. Old family recipe."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Mmm, huh." She swallowed. "But you can also find it on the Bisquick package."

"Funny, Webster."

When they finished, they cleared the dishes together.

"Alright let's take a look at that car of yours." Nick theatrically rubbed his hands together as he spoke.

After driving to Mandy's house, it took them all of two minutes to figure out that the problem was the battery. They took Nick's car to the auto parts store to buy a new one and then worked together to install it. It wasn't a very difficult task, and they had it finished shortly.

When Nick began to yawn, Mandy instantly felt guilty for keeping him up. "Oh, you need to get some sleep."

"Not just me, darlin'"

Gloria Steinem be damned, Nick had a way of making her feel weak in the knees when he combined that Texas drawl with a term of endearment. "No, I'm fine. Young kids. I can't sleep more than a few hours at a time anymore."

"I can imagine." He closed the hood to her car and wiped his cheek with his hand, leaving a small grease mark on his cheek bone.

Mandy thought he looked adorable and couldn't help but smile at him.

"What?" A confused Nick asked.

She shook her head, "You, uh," she gestured to his face, "you have a little smudge." She debated for a brief minute before reaching up and wiping his face. Her fingers resting under his strong jaw, she rubbed at the offending streak with the pad of her thumb.

He relaxed at her touch.

"There," she sighed, but didn't immediately pull her hand away, her eyes catching his.

They stood there frozen for moment, each waiting for the other to make a move. He bit his lip slightly, took a short breath, and then put one hand behind Mandy's neck. When she didn't resist, he slowly pulled her closer until their lips tentatively met. A quick peck was followed by another, and then another. This was followed by much longer contact until Mandy parted her lips. Their tongues met and the kiss instantly grew in intensity.

After a minute, Mandy pulled away far enough to ask, "You wanna come in?"

He nodded then took her hand in his and followed her. Once inside he returned his attention to her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close. She immediately responded by sliding her arms around his neck and pulling him close. Their lips connected again. Before long their hands explored the other's body. His hands slid up and down her back, over her shoulders and hovered over her nicely curved ass.

Mandy ran her hands through the hair she'd wanted to touch for some time. Ran her hands back to his neck and pulled him closer to her. It had been so long since anyone had held her like he was, and that fact that it was Nick made it all the sweeter. She'd always considered him a friend, more than just a coworker.

They eventually moved to the couch. Before Mandy realized it, both of their shirts were gone, and Nick was fumbling with her bra. Something in her head said "Stop," and quite loud too. When Nick froze suddenly, she realized she'd said it out loud.

"I…I'm sorry." Nick immediately released his hold on her.

"No…I mean…I'm sorry." She refused to let go, fearing she'd scared him so bad he'd run for the door and never come back. "Nick, I'm sorry." She apologized again. "It's just that…I mean…I…I…We…"

"Shh." He placed a finger on her lips. "I think I understand. This is going way to fast."

Relief washed over her. "Yes. I'm just not ready to go any further, not yet at least…It's just…It's been a long time since I've even wanted to, and I just don't want to rush into this." She was choking on her words.

"No," he wrapped his arms around her. "Of course not, and I don't want to be the one rushing you."

She let her head fall onto his shoulder as she released the breath she'd been holding.

He ran his hands up and down her arms, "Mandy…I really like spending time with you. These last few days, you've been the reason I've been watching the clock at work." He placed a soft kiss on her forehead. "I don't know where this is going, or even if it's going to go anywhere, but, if you're willing, I'd like to find out." He lifted her chin, "You set the pace."

_To be continued…_


	3. Chapter 3

**Out of the Shadows**

_Big thank yous to __**Mingsmommy**__ and __**Smacky30**__ for their incredible beta skills, their encouragement, their advice, and their patience. This never would have happened without them. A second thank you to __**Smacky30**__ for the help with the title_

_CSI is not mine, just borrowing and having lots of fun with it!_

_**Chapter 3**_

Over the next few weeks, Nick and Mandy shared a few meals during work. There were also a few afternoon dates and some late night dinners before shift. But they were careful to make sure nobody knew about their extra-curricular activities.

They kept their relationship quiet for a couple of reasons. Mandy wasn't ready for her kids to see their mom with anyone. She decided long ago that if she did date anyone, they wouldn't be a part of her kids' lives until she knew the relationship was going somewhere.

The other reason was that they also wanted to know where this would lead before they involved work, or more accurately their coworkers, in it.

It seemed like a great situation. Nick was never at Mandy's place when the kids were home, and they were all business at work. However, one afternoon after a particularly long double shift, their work world and personal world nearly collided.

"Hey, you look _hot_." Catherine checked out Nick as a sly smile grew on her face when she and Sara entered the locker room. Nick looked up, feeling a little proud with a smile on his face. "Plans today?" Catherine prodded.

He had been caught off guard. In truth, he and Mandy, who was trying to be inconspicuous as she gathered her things together just a few lockers away, were going to his place for lunch. In his excitement, he must have cleaned up after shift more than normal. He glanced at Mandy who was refusing to look up. "Yeah, I'm going out with some friends."

"Friends, sure. You don't dress like that when we go out. What about you Warrick?" Catherine called over the line of lockers to where Warrick was getting changed.

Warrick laughed, "Oh…no he doesn't dress like that with me."

Mandy saw Archie walk past in the hallway, and decided to make her escape from the musty locker room. She walked out the door, "Arch," she called, and continued down the hall toward the AV tech.

"What's up Mandy?" Archie asked, reports in hand, obviously trying to get out of the lab.

She glanced behind her, "Oh nothing, just walk with me for a minute." She looked around to be sure that no one was within earshot, "I just needed an excuse to get out of there."

"Understood. Here," he gave her half of his files, "Take these to Ecklie's office for me, 'cuz you know, then you've got a real excuse." He took off towards Grissom's office to drop off reports for the night shift.

"Thanks a lot, Archie!" she called out sarcastically after him. He just waved over his head to her.

After a brief interaction with Ecklie, Mandy pulled out her cell and sent a quick text. _I'll meet you at your place. _Then she went out to her car and drove away.

The vibrations on his belt gave Nick a momentary break from Catherine's version of twenty questions. He was happy that Mandy was able to make her escape, but he still needed to as well.

"So, you going to tell me what's going on?" Catherine had watched him check his cell.

Sara's eyes involuntarily rolled back as she collected her things.

Nick bit his lip and ran his hand through his hair. "Nothing's going on, Cath." He closed up his locker, "I have to go now." He gave a polite nod and made for the door.

"This isn't over, Nicky." Catherine's tone wasn't harsh nor threatening, but rather friendly and playful.

"I wouldn't expect anything less from you, Catherine." He called over his shoulder as he exited the locker room.

***

Nick surprised himself with how at ease he was with the idea of cooking dinner for Mandy. While it wasn't their first date, or even the first time Mandy came over for a meal, it would be the first time Nick had made the meal himself.

"What can I do?" Mandy leaned over the other side of the counter drinking a glass of water.

"Not a thing." He pulled the premade manicotti from the freezer.

She set her glass down, the ice left at the bottom clanging against the edge. "Nick, it's not in my nature to sit and do nothing."

"Well, then," he looked around for something to keep her busy. "Find some music." He pointed to the stereo in the corner.

She spent a minute or two looking through his CD collection. "You know, they say you can learn a lot about someone based on the music they own."

"Really?" He shuddered at the thought of what his music was saying about him.

"Uh huh." She picked up a case and flipped it over. "And this _ABBA Gold _is saying volumes."

"That's my sister's." He poured the sweet yet slightly spicy marinara into the bottom of a baking dish.

"Sure Nick." She perused his country and rock CDs then started to check the classic rock ones. "Relax, if you went through my music, you'd find a mixture of Neil Diamond, Bonnie Raitt, Coldplay, and Fleetwood Mac right along with The Wiggles, Sesame Street, and Sharon, Lois, and Bram."

"Oh, so you're a Wiggles fan, are ya?"

"Well, their old stuff." She picked up another disk. "I can take or leave their newer work."

She came to Bob Seger's _Nine Tonight _album, and decided on that one. As was her habit, she hit the random key and _Fire Down Below _started to flow out of the seven speakers Nick had throughout the lower level of his house.

She went back to the kitchen to refill her water glass. She watched him, taking note of how careful he was being. If she didn't know better, she would swear that he was actually nervous.

They had continued to grow closer little by little over the last few weeks. She knew Nick was trying not to put any pressure on her. He was following her lead, as if he were worried that if he were to press her too much, he'd risk losing her. But that wasn't true. It would take a lot to shake her.

It had been over a year since Mike had died, and Nick was the first person, besides her kids, whose company made her feel alive again. She really hoped this feeling would last.

She did have lingering worries that she wasn't ready for another relationship, which was part of the reason she wasn't in a hurry to explore the more physical side of things with Nick just yet. She didn't want to get hurt, or worse, hurt him. There was more to her apprehension though. Her kids weighed heavily in every decision she made.

He caught her watching him carefully lining the pan with the tubes of cheese-filled pasta. "Hungry?"

She smiled coyly and gave a slight nod. She snaked an arm around one of his and rested the other hand on his shoulder as he poured the remaining marinara over the top. Then, as if completely undistracted by her contact, he took the foil from the drawer and crinkled it over the corners of the dish. When she let go of him, he put the dish in the oven.

Mandy leaned back against the counter watching him maneuver the dish and the oven rack. _Did he know how cute he looked from this angle? _She figured he probably did, but then again maybe not.

Nick closed the oven door and turned to face her. "I could make a salad to go with the pasta."

Without breaking eye contact she said, "Can I help with that?"

He pulled the lettuce from the fridge, and set it next to the sink. The carrots, celery, cucumbers, and tomatoes came out next. "You could cut up some of the veggies while I wash the lettuce."

Turning his attention to the lettuce, he ran some cold water and began tearing leaves off and rinsing them. When he finished, he dried the leaves and tore them into bite-sized pieces. He then watched as she picked out just the right knife for the celery before beginning to chop it with soft _crunches_. _Did she __know that __her body moved to the music as she worked?_

He continued to enjoy the view of her swaying hips as he considered the hole they may be digging for themselves. They were both unwilling to risk their working relationship, but they'd also grown closer. Nick was sure he couldn't go back to being just colleagues, and he hoped Mandy felt the same. He wasn't sure where the balance between the two would find them.

Drying his hands on the kitchen towel, he couldn't resist the call of her hips still swaying to the music. He was sure she didn't even realize she was doing it. Taking the two steps to her, he placed his hands on her hips and began to move with her. She leaned back into him as he nuzzled her neck. "You done?"

The vibrations on her neck must have startled her, because her shoulder jumped up briefly. "Mmm huh."

The control he held over her was enticing to him. He reached around behind him and brought the salad bowl with the clean, dry lettuce and set it in front of Mandy. Nibbling on her ear, he purred, "You wanna add yours to mine?"

She picked up the cutting board and used the knife to scrape the sliced bits onto the crisp greens. "What now?" She tilted her head, giving him more access.

"I can think of a few things…" He began to work her tired shoulders. "The pasta won't be done for about twenty minutes."

"I can live with a twenty minute massage." When she leaned back, Nick wrapped his arms around her. She lifted her head and turned it to the side, just as he leaned down and softly kissed her sweet lips.

Pulling away only slightly, "I was actually hoping we could talk." He leaned in again, but noticed how tense she suddenly seemed. That caused him to regret his tone, so he tried to recover. "Nothing bad…I promise." Nick released his hold on her, but before letting go completely, brushed his hands up and down her arms in an attempt to reassure her.

As he stepped back, she turned to face him, "What's on your mind?" She crossed her arms in defense.

He wondered what she was expecting. "The locker room."

Her arms fell, "Oh." The word slowly escaped her lips. "How bad did it get after I left?"

"After you left." He repeated.

"Sorry about that." She dropped her head.

Nick stepped forward and used his fingers to nudge her chin up, so he could see her eyes. "You have nothing to be sorry for." He paused for a minute. "I don't like the idea of being reduced to office gossip with some unknown girl."

"Yeah, I have to admit that I'm not all that excited at the idea of hearing about you with one of Greg's fantasies."

Shrugging, he asked, "What if we stopped hiding?"

He watched as her eyes bobbed up and down. "What…uh…what would we do? I mean can we?"

"Officially, I think we're okay. Neither of us supervises the other." He turned to open the fridge. "What do you think?" He pulled two beer bottles out of the refrigerator, and after opening them, handed one to Mandy.

Holding it in front of her with both hands, she began, "Okay…How do we do this?" Her fingers played with the neck of the brown bottle.

"Let's just stop hiding." He took a swig, savoring the feeling of the cool amber liquid making its way down his throat. "The next time someone asks who I'm going out with," He set his bottle down and crossed back over to her, and taking her hands in his, he continued, "I want to be able to answer _Mandy_."

She bit her lip as a smile spread over her face. "I like how that sounds."

Whispering, "I do too," he leaned in and kissed her.

The shrieking of the stove timer brought them out of their embrace. Nick jumped and quickly turned the offending beeper off. "Dinner's ready." He heard her giggle as he opened the oven and carefully pulled the pan out.

_To Be Continued…_


	4. Chapter 4

**Out of the Shadows**

_Thank you so much for the reviews. This is a small, but growing ship, and I love that there are others around who like it as much as (or more than) I do! _

_Big thank yous to __**Mingsmommy**__ and __**Smacky30**__ for their incredible beta skills, their encouragement, their advice, and their patience. This never would have happened without them. A second thank you to __**Smacky30**__ for the help with the title_

_CSI is not mine, just borrowing and having lots of fun with it!_

_**Chapter 4**_

On her way home, Mandy stopped to pick her kids up from preschool. After a rare _Happy Meal _excursion to McDonalds, they all put on their pajamas and had a movie night on the couch. _Lilo and Stitch _started as the popcorn was buttered and salted.

Mandy sat on the couch with Alex on one side and Lily on the other. Alex had his blue and purple crocheted blanket he affectionately called _Bee_ covering his lap as his fingers toyed with the edges. Mandy had worked on it tirelessly during her pregnancy. Unfortunately, she had restarted so many times that it wasn't ready for her due date. Lucky for her, Alex was eight days late.

Lily had fallen asleep halfway through the movie. Draped across her legs was her speckled soft pink and mint green crocheted blanket. Taking a cue from her big brother, she appropriately called hers _Bia_. Lily's _Bia _was starting to show the passage of time, but was nowhere near as tattered as Bee.

As she stroked the long soft hair of her sleeping daughter, Mandy began to question her choice of movies. She had forgotten that Lilo's parents had died in an accident, but the kids had not seemed phased by it so she let it play out.

It had been awhile since _Lilo and Stitch_ first appeared at the Webster household. The memory felt much fresher than it was; Mandy nearly eight months along with Lily, and two-year-old Alex curled up on the couch between his parents, his fingers threaded through the holes in Bee.

Movie nights had started with Mike, a family movie to start the night, and then after Alex, and eventually Lily, were in bed, a movie for mom and dad. As much as they both adored their children, the time alone snuggled together on the couch watching a great movie or entwined together during a bad movie were some of the best memories she had of her husband.

Mandy missed those nights. Movie nights now were just family movies on her nights off, no one to share anything rated over G with, so she just dropped that part of the tradition. Well, that and the fact that after working the previous night and staying up much of the day so she could sleep at night, she was too tired to make it through a movie of her own. Besides, watching alone just wasn't the same.

Lily stirred a bit on her lap, pulling Mandy's attention back to movie in time to hear Stitch say, "This is my family. I found it, all on my own. Is little, and broken, but still good. Yeah, still good." It got Mandy thinking, _was her family broken?_ _Would Alex and Lily grow up feeling like it was?_ Some days Mandy felt broken, but lately those days were less and less frequent.

There was a time not that long ago, when Mandy didn't think she'd feel this way again. The memory of Nick's arms around her was still fresh in her mind, and she actually felt a chill now that they weren't there.

She watched as Alex's eyes stayed glued on the television screen. _What would the kids think of Nick? _They had only ever met him in passing on a few occasions, lab picnics, holiday parties, and things like that. She was sure the kids had no real idea who Nick was. _Would they like him? _Then, _would he like them?_ She shook the last thought from her mind. Nick Stokes, or the man known as Uncle Nicky by eight kids and counting scattered throughout the Dallas area and beyond, had never met a child he didn't adore.

Twirling her daughter's hair around her index finger, Mandy wondered if he thought about her as much as he occupied her thoughts. Today was big for them; they were no longer going to hide their relationship. In a way, they had made a commitment to each other. This was no longer a casual friendship, but something more. That thought wrapped her in a warmth she hadn't felt in a long time, but it quickly faded when she realized that she wouldn't see him tonight. There'd be no sudden drop-ins to her lab, no well timed coffee breaks, and because tomorrow was Saturday and her kids didn't have school, no after-shift breakfast.

Giggles erupted from her oldest child at some of Stitches antics, and Mandy began to wonder when she _should_ let the kids meet Nick. She worried that she would do it too soon, and then she worried she would wait too long. _When is the right time? How will I know?_

If her mother had her way, Mandy would not see anyone until the kids were both eighteen. _Does it make me selfish to want to be with someone? _She knew her mother's intentions were sincere, but wouldn't exposing her kids to a positive role model be better than keeping any father figure away from them? _Wait, what if this isn't what Nick wants? What if he has no interest in being a part of Lily and Alex's lives? Is it too soon to be asking these questions?_

When the movie ended, Mandy turned off the television. "Alex, bring _Bee_; it's time to go to bed." She carefully lifted Lily and carried her to her room.

After a restless adjustment, Lily rested her head on her mother's shoulder as the pair ascended the stairs. Mandy laid her little girl on the big girl bed with the purple _Dora _sheets. Mandy watched for a moment, as Lily rolled onto her side, with her sweet little hands under her head. Pulling the covers over the sleeping child, Mandy placed a kiss on her daughter's cheek, "Goodnight, my love." As she exited, she left the door open a crack, and as she passed by the bathroom across the hall, she flipped the light on so that if the kids woke during the night, they wouldn't start screaming because of the complete darkness.

Going in to check on Alex, she realized her oldest was missing in action. A minute later she found him on the couch, curled up and _sleeping_ with a big grin on his face. Mandy nearly lost it when the snoring began. "Oh, no," she played along, "Alex is sleeping." She crept closer, "I guess I'll have to carry him upstairs, too." She had to bite back a laugh when another giggle escaped his lips.

She scooped him up in her arms, and he cuddled closer. When they reached Alex's room, she gently set him on his _Spider Man_ sheets. She pulled the cover up and over him. He smiled as she leaned over and kissed him and whispered, "I love you, little man." Just then his eyes popped open. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you." She pretended to pout.

"Mommy, I have to tell you something." His voice held traces of regret.

"What, baby?" She stroked his forehead, his blonde hair gently flowing back and forth.

"Mommy, I wasn't really sleeping…I was just pretending." His blue eyes grew wide.

"You were!" She played along.

He nodded and then yawned.

She smiled, "Well, now that you're up here, you can go to sleep."

Another yawn escaped, "Okay, Mommy."

She left the door open a crack so the bathroom light would shine in his room as well.

Walking downstairs, she began to clear the mess left in the living room when she heard her cell phone chime, indicating a text message. Seeing it was from Nick she eagerly opened the phone. _ How's the night off?_

Hitting the _reply _button, she quickly texted, _Great, going to bed soon._

By the time the dishes were rinsed, the reply came, _Sleep tight, Darling._ On its own it was nothing spectacular, but when she thought about the same words coming from his lips, with his slow Texas drawl, it melted her heart.

***

Nick had just hit the send button, when Greg walked through the break room door. "Nick." He glanced over as he poured a cup of coffee.

"How's it going, Greggo?" Flipping his phone closed, Nick slid it back onto the belt clip.

"Good," Greg took a seat on the couch, "How about with you?"

Nick shrugged, "Good."

"I'll bet," chuckling a little, he continued, "Catherine said you had a hot date after shift last night." Greg prodded as he sipped his coffee.

"What?" Nick's eyebrows shot up and he tried to look confused.

"Yeah, she said you were looking good and heading out to meet some chick."

Nick knew the younger man was fishing for information. And he wasn't thrilled to be reduced to office gossip. "Well, Catherine needs to mind her own business."

Greg shrugged, "So, what did you do this morning?"

Nick took a breath, and a chance. "This morning, I made dinner at my place for," his words were intentionally slow, and his voice went down when he reached the next part, "Mandy."

"Print tech Mandy?" Nick nodded, but Greg seemed confused. "Mandy with two kids?" Again, Nick just nodded. "The Widow Webster?"

"All right, Greg." His words were crisp, and his tone was intended to say much more to the lab tech.

Greg dialed it back a notch, "Mandy." This time his tone was more relaxed, more positive.

Nick softened in response. "Yes, Mandy." Nick turned the cup under his fingers, remembering how right it had felt holding Mandy in his arms. He could almost smell the vanilla in her hair.

"Be good to her, man. She deserves it." Greg swallowed his last few drops of coffee, stood, and patted Nick on the shoulder before walking out the door.

"Yes, she does." He spoke so only he could hear. The hum of business as usual filled the halls just outside the door behind him, but his mind was focused on a woman who was probably sleeping right now, and he wanted nothing more than to crawl in bed with her. There was a slight pain at the thought that this wouldn't be an option for them. He knew she wasn't ready for him to be a part of her kids' lives, and even if they got to the point where she did want him to be, just knowing her, she probably wouldn't allow him to spend the night when the kids were around.

The strange thing was this wasn't a deal breaker for him. Quite the opposite in fact. Part of what attracted him to her was what a great mother she was.

Vibrations from his belt brought him out of his thoughts. Flipping open his phone and realizing his print results were ready, he cleared away his cup and exited the break room. Oddly, tonight he wasn't as excited to collect his evidence from the print lab as he usually was.

***

Just a few hours later, Mandy lay in her bed staring at the ceiling. It was always hard to sleep on her nights off, but by sleeping at night, she was able to be awake when her kids were awake. She rolled her head to the side and looked at the clock, eleven thirty.

Her mind began to wander. She made a mental to do list for the following day. She thought about the stack of prints that would no doubt be waiting for her. After throwing a fit about being asked to move to swing, she knew that Miranda had begged Jacqui to switch with her for the week, and would not think twice about leaving everything that required actual work for Mandy. She thought about buying a new camera, and about what she needed to get from the store after she dropped Lily and Alex off at school the next morning.

Then her mind went further away; her thoughts of work turned to thoughts about the people she worked with. Those led to thoughts of Nick. He had said he was going out with friends to cover for her. No doubt questions were being asked. She knew they had decided to stop hiding, but she wasn't completely sure what would be said.

When she realized what she was doing she shook her head before rolling over and closing her eyes, willing herself to sleep.

_***_

_To be continued…_


	5. Chapter 5

**Out of the Shadows**

_Big thank yous to __**Mingsmommy**__ and __**Smacky30**__ for their incredible beta skills, their encouragement, their advice, and their patience. This never would have happened without them. A second thank you to __**Smacky30**__ for the help with the title_

_CSI is not mine, just borrowing and having lots of fun with it!_

_**Chapter 5**_

Walking in the door just as the kids were sitting down to breakfast, Mandy poured herself some coffee and joined them and her mother at the table.

"How was work dear?" Her mother spread strawberry jam on half a piece of toast.

"Fine." She took a sip from her mug, grimacing slightly at how strong and bitter her mother tended to brew it. "Not too busy, that's always nice."

Once Greg had learned Nick and Mandy's "secret," word began to spread like wildfire. For the most part, it didn't really matter to most of their coworkers. There were, of course, a few exceptions; Mandy took the friendly ribbing from Jacqui, who accused her of going over to _the dark side. _Nick had mentioned that more than a couple of their coworkers had threatened him should he hurt her. He was a bit disheartened to hear that no one had made such a threat to Mandy. They were warned by Grissom to keep their private life out of the lab, but as long as they could do that, he wished them luck.

Over the next couple weeks, their budding relationship was all but forgotten, and people went on about their everyday business, which was just fine as far as Nick and Mandy were concerned.

"Mommy, I picked out my clothes. All by myself." Lily's voice brought her out of her reveries as the little girl pulled on her shirt, which already had a couple drops of juice soaking into the fabric.

Noticing the pink shirt with red hearts and the jeans that Mandy had been trying to get the three-year-old to wear for a week now, she said, "Wow, I see that. Good choice."

"Mom," Alex began in a serious tone. "Grandma says the milk is yucky. Could you please get some more?"

Confused, Mandy looked to her mother.

Irene finished the toast she had just bitten, "The milk went bad. You know it's not good to keep spoiled food."

"Really, Mom? I had no idea." Mandy had to force herself not to roll her eyes at her mother's comment before turning her attention back to the kids. "I'll get more milk later today, but for now, if you're done, go brush your teeth and get your shoes on for school."

Alex ran straight to the bathroom as Lily began to chug her juice. When she finished, she too took off for the bathroom. "Lily," Mandy called out, "Your brother's brushing his teeth, put your shoes on first then brush your teeth."

Lily went off in search of her Dora and Boots tennis shoes.

When the kids were out of earshot, Mandy turned back towards her mother, "Dave and Louise called last night."

"Oh and how are they?" Irene finished her last few sips of coffee.

"Good, but they asked about taking the kids this weekend." Mandy grabbed a corner of toast and added some of the sticky sweet jam to it, ending up with a large piece of strawberry in the middle. "They're going to see Mike's sister and her family in San Diego and would like to take Alex and Lily along. I'm already off Saturday night, but this means you're off the hook for Friday night as well."

"Are you sure it's a good idea?"

"Why wouldn't it be?" Mandy took a deep, calming breath to prevent getting aggravated at how fast a simple conversation could become a debate with her mother.

"The kids barely know them." Irene sounded shocked that her daughter would even consider allowing this.

"Mom, they're Mike's parents. They've been a part of their lives since they were born." She tried to keep her voice calm, not letting any of her mounting frustration through.

"Yes, but do you really think it's a good idea to leave the kids alone with them?"

"They're the kids' grandparents, as are you, and I leave the kids alone with you five nights a week." She checked the clock on the wall. "Alex, Lily," she called, "We're leaving in five minutes."

"You're right, and you obviously know them better than I do." Her mother put her hands up in defeat.

"Mom, what is the problem?" She didn't have the energy for this.

"Nothing, I have to get to work." She stood. "See you kids tonight."

"Bye, Grandma," Lily's words were muffled by the toothbrush in her mouth.

Alex was just getting his shoes on. "Bye, Grandma."

With that, Grandma left a confused and annoyed Mandy standing in the kitchen. "Alright, grab your backpacks and lunches, let's go." They, too, walked out the door.

***

Nick poked his head into the print lab, "Hey, you up for breakfast after shift?"

Mandy had been busy all night, and her eyes were beginning to feel the strain of comparison after comparison. "Actually, Lily has a doctor's appointment." Pushing her glasses up slightly, she began to rub the bridge of her nose.

Disappointment quickly turned to concern, "Is she okay?"

Touched, she quickly put his worry to rest. "Yeah, but she was sick at her three year check-up, so she is going in today for the shots she couldn't get then."

He stepped in further and leaned against the door frame, leaving the door propped open slightly, "Poor girl."

Nodding her agreement, Mandy then changed subjects. "You're off Saturday, right?"

"Yeah."

"Mike's parents are taking Alex and Lily to San Diego for the weekend. You wanna do something?"

"Hmm…what'd ya have in mind?" He crossed his arms.

Snorting, she answered, "Hey, I have a weekend without kids, I'm up for anything."

"Anything? That's good to know-" His words were interrupted by a beeping on his belt. Opening it, he grimaced. "Doc Robbins has something for me. Can we…"

"We'll talk later." She smiled as she watched him rush down the hall.

***

On Friday, Mandy picked the kids up early from school and got them packed up and ready for their trip. She knew Alex would be fine, but was a bit worried that Lily wouldn't be okay at night. After giving Louise some last minute advice on putting Lily to bed, she watched as they drove off.

Walking back into her eerily quiet house, she decided to try to get a few hours of sleep before her shift that night.

After two hours, the ring of her cell phone woke her up. Seeing the caller ID kept her from getting upset. "Hey," she tried unsuccessfully to keep the crack in her voice from giving away the fact that she had just woken up.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you."

"No, it's okay…I need to get up anyway." She pulled back the covers and swung her legs over the edge of the bed, pulling herself up in the process.

"You sure?"

"Uh huh."

"I was just calling to see if the kids got off alright?"

"Yep, they're on their way to a weekend of being spoiled rotten." Mandy smirked.

She could hear him laugh, "Well, I just wanted to see if everything went as planned." He took a breath, "I was thinking…"

When he left the sentence hanging, she tried to fill the silence, "Careful that'll get you into trouble."

"Ha ha, funny." He took another breath. "About tomorrow, did you have any ideas for what you want to do?"

"No, not really…I'm just excited to be able to do something with no time constraints." She began to search her closet for something to wear to work.

"Well, then, we'll just have to make it a night to remember." His voice was soft and smooth, and made her eager to get through work tonight.

Pulling out a pair of black slacks and a short sleeved plum sweater, she responded seductively, "I'm sure it will be."

Nick swallowed hard, "It's going to be a long shift, isn't it?"

"Oh, yeah," her words were drawn out.

"Care to call in sick?"

"I would in a heartbeat, but…"

"Yeah, I know…Enjoy your shower."

"I will, see you in a couple hours."

A couple of hours later, he did see her, pulling into the lot as he was walking to the main doors. Leaning against the cement pylons near the entrance, he waited for her. "Thought you could use a little pick-me-up before work." He handed her a Starbucks cup.

Taking it from him put a huge smile on her face, "Nonfat mocha with whip?"

"What else would it be?"

"Damn, I could get used to this."

He smiled, "Me too."

They stood in awkward silence, sipping the drinks. After a few minutes, Mandy said, "We should probably get in there."

"Yeah." Nick opened the door and they walked to the locker room, side by side.

The night became instantly busy. Mandy was left with a backlog of prints from the previous shift, for which Jacqui apologized profusely, even staying an hour into Mandy's shift to help clear some of it out. Around four in the morning, Nick called. "Mands, I'm sending three prints over now. Can you make them priority one?"

She inhaled deeply and shuffled some papers, "I have two cases ahead of you; is this _that _time sensitive?"

"Yes." He practically snapped back. Catching himself, "Mandy, I have a stolen car with a missing toddler-"

"Yours are up." She cut him off, not needing to hear anything beyond _missing toddler_.

"Thank you, you'll call-"

"As soon as I know anything." She hung up and got right to work.

Nick's case kept him at work well into the daylight hours, while Mandy was off at her normal time. She drove home saying a silent prayer for the young child Nick had spent the night searching for.

***

The toddler was found abandoned at a McDonalds at around eleven. Now that the baby was safe, the need to find answers wasn't as pressing, and it was decided that the case could wait for the next shift. Of course, Nick was off that night, so Warrick would continue.

Still on the high that came from a child abduction ending in the best possible way, Nick had a hard time falling asleep. He lay in bed staring at the ceiling. His mind was going all over the place. He thought about the sweet little girl and the terrified and now incredibly thankful parents. He remembered the sound of Mandy's voice when he mentioned a missing toddler. He'd heard Catherine talk many times about the fears parents live with, and he assumed this was one that hit close to home for Mandy.

_Mandy,_ he'd barely seen her at all last night. In truth, he missed her. He still hadn't decided where to take her that night, and she was leaving it up to him. Dinner would be a good starting point, but then what? He eventually faded off to sleep.

***

That night, Mandy was freshly showered, changed, and feeling great from the best day's sleep she'd had in a long time. The doorbell rang as she gave herself a final check in the mirror. Pulling slightly at the dark brown skirt, she worried it was too short, but it went so well with the emerald green sleeveless blouse that gave her the appearance of cleavage. She couldn't believe how nervous she was even though she'd been out with Nick countless times. Of course now, it seemed like their relationship was changing. He'd been consuming most of her thoughts lately. Being near him felt so right and she wanted to be with him even more.

Nick was greeted by Mandy's smiling face. He leaned in for what he intended to be only a quick peck, but his need to take her in over took him, and the kiss deepened. When they separated, he noticed how bright and awake she looked. "You look refreshed." As soon as he said it, he thought about how cheesy she would think it was.

"Thanks, I feel refreshed." She held the door open.

"You ready?" She nodded, and they walked out to the front porch where Mandy stopped to lock the door. They walked side-by-side to the car, where Nick opened the door for her.

He climbed into the truck and turned to Mandy, "I was thinking about trying La Creperie at Paris…Unless you have someplace else in mind?"

"No, that sounds good." She pulled her seatbelt over her shoulder. "I've wanted to try it for a while now."

Nick straightened in his seat, proud of the choice he'd made. Putting the truck in gear, he pulled out of her drive, "Kids alright?"

"Yup. They're at Sea World today, having the time of their life." She pushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

They continued with casual conversation throughout the ride, and even through dinner. There weren't any awkward pauses or lapses in conversation. Nick couldn't remember the last time he'd gone on a date and felt so comfortable just talking. Usually, even with women who could hold up their end of a conversation, he lost interest in what they were saying. Mandy was different, he wanted to know everything about her and he wanted to share with her as well.

He still had some concerns. It had only been a little more than a year since Mike's passing, and he wasn't sure how she felt about moving on with someone else. Part of him was also worried about being in someone else's shadow. At least when someone is divorced you know they have had some sort of closure with their former spouse, but Mandy never had that. Her husband was taken, suddenly. She didn't stop loving him, and in truth, he wasn't sure if he would be able to compete with a ghost.

After dinner, they walked the strip for a while. Nick took Mandy's hand in his as they talked. Stopping to see the Fountain show at the Bellagio, he wrapped his arms around her, and immediately felt her relax into him.

Mandy grinned. "You know, I've lived in Vegas for years, but have never actually stopped to watch the show here?"

"Really?" He slightly tightened his grip on her. "It's actually pretty good." His lips were close enough to touch her ear, and when he spoke, he could feel her quiver slightly which only excited him.

It must've excited her too, because she turned her neck so she was looking him in the eyes. When she dampened her lips slightly, he took it as a cue and released his grip on her waist enough to turn her to face him. Moving one hand to the back of her neck, he pulled her to him. It began soft and tender, but quickly became much more intense.

Mandy pulled away, causing Nick to panic slightly. He was relieved when he saw the smile and heard her whisper, "Can we get out of here?"

_***_

_To Be Continued..._


	6. Chapter 6

**Out of the Shadows**

_Big thank yous to __**Mingsmommy**__ and __**Smacky30**__ for their incredible beta skills, their encouragement, their advice, and their patience. This never would have happened without them. A second thank you to __**Smacky30**__ for the help with the title_

_CSI is not mine, just borrowing and having lots of fun with it!_

_**Chapter 6**_

Mandy could feel Nick fumbling with the key. Finally the lock turned, which was no small feat considering she was doing her best to distract him by nibbling on his ear.

The lock clicked and he turned the knob. The second they stepped into the house, Nick pulled her to him, shoving the door closed with his foot, behind them. Mandy let her purse fall off her shoulder and drop to the floor, never once breaking her contact with him.

She felt his hands travel down her back, kneading, massaging, and pulling her closer to him. Running her tongue across his teeth, she could feel his fingers toy with the hem of her blouse.

Pulling back slightly, he cupped her face in his hands. "Are you sure about this?"

Even though his eyes begged for her, she knew all she had to do was say _no_ and he would stop. But she didn't want to say _no_. She wanted him. All of him. Touching all of her. She needed to feel him, next to her, on her, in her. She yearned for his strong arms to hold her, his salty-sweet lips to kiss her, whisper in her ear, call out to her, and call out because of her.

Taking a small breath and swallowing the nervous lump that was developing in her throat, the one that was filling her with doubt and insecurities and guilt, she softly replied, "I'm sure."

She was sure. This is what she wanted, but deeper down she was terrified. As she ran her fingers through his short brown hair, her mind started taking her places she didn't want to go, not now. She thought about the kindergarten enrollment form for Alex she had completed just two days ago. Absently she had checked the _married_ box next to her name.

Nick began to undo the buttons on her blouse, starting with the bottom. In between buttons, he would brush the tips of his fingers lightly over her skin, causing her to muscles to flutter under his touch. Her insecurities grew. Nick had a reputation throughout the lab for going after young, firm girls. How could she compete with that? Her body had carried and nursed two kids. Sure she'd bounced back as best she could, but he was bound to notice the differences, the slightly discolored stretch marks just above her pubic bone and just below each nipple, the fact that her once perfect C cups were now saggy Bs, and the way she was never able to get her thighs as toned as she would have liked.

A slight chill brought her back to the moment; her blouse was now slipping off of her shoulders. Nick pulled back slightly, letting the emerald silk fall to the floor. She anxiously stood before him as he looked at her. "My God, you're beautiful."

His statement caused her to blush. When she chanced eye contact again, he was grinning. Walking around behind her, he trailed kisses down her neck. She relished the feel of him on her bare skin and tilted her head to give him better access. A single finger hooked under her bra strap and released it, letting it fall down her arm. He repeated the process on the other side, before unlatching the clasp in the back and pulling the garment off completely.

Mandy's arms instinctively went to cover herself, but Nick gently took her hands in his and pulled them away, until they were at her side. Still standing behind her, he began an assault on her nipples. The moan that escaped her only served to encourage him further. Her head fell back onto his shoulder and they began to kiss once more.

She was momentarily unsure about what to do with her hands, while his were working so hard. Hesitantly, she let them hang at her sides. She couldn't remember the last time she was so uncertain in this situation.

Actually yes, she could.

That thought wasn't much help to her now though. She had no idea how she would compare to Nick's other experiences. While he was playing the field, she had been alone for over a year, and the eleven before that were all spent with the same man. She had no complaints whatsoever about Mike, but they had grown to know each other intimately. They knew how to turn each other on. She knew just the right spot to touch to absolutely drive him crazy. But, now, here she was starting all over again, from scratch.

She turned enough in his embrace that she was face to face with him. It was her turn to grab at the hem of his shirt. Thankfully he had no buttons, she wasn't sure she would have been able to work them at this moment. Smiling her approval at what she saw, she ran her hands over his nearly perfectly toned abs. Resting her palms on his hips, she slipped her fingers into his waistband, using it to pull him closer, all the while his fingers marked circles on the back of her neck. It felt so good. She moved her head up, their bodies getting even closer.

Working his belt buckle free, Mandy pulled the brown leather strap out with little effort and dropped it to the floor. The metal clang when it hit was ignored as she began loosening the fly of his pants. Pulling the waistband down in a quick and eager motion, she could have sworn she heard a growl come from somewhere deep inside him.

Taking a minute to admire the view before working the jeans down his legs, she then encouraged him to step out of them before backing him up to the couch only a few feet away. Nick sat on the edge, leaving Mandy to stand in front of him.

Their eyes connected as his hands made their way up her bare thighs and under her skirt. She could see her own desire reflected in his eyes as he paused momentarily, as if asking for permission. She gave it with a slight nod, and he slowly lowered the side zipper until the deep brown fabric fell around her ankles.

He pulled her down to him, placing one of her legs on either side of his lap. In mere seconds they each were engrossed in exploring the other's body.

There was a hunger between them that needed to be fed, a desire that begged to break free. When Nick flipped her over in one quick move, she gasped at the raw animalistic behavior. He pulled on her panties, noticing the print for the first time. "Dragon flies?"

"I like dragon flies." Lacing her fingers under his waistband she teased, "Better than tighty-whities."

He lifted himself slightly and pulled them the rest of the way down.

Nick trailed kisses and nibbles up her body until he returned to her lips. After a minute, Mandy broke away, "Don't you have a bed upstairs?"

Nearly leaping off of her, he took both of her hands in his and helped her up. It didn't take long to reach his bedroom, and by the time they hit the doorway they were back in each others' arms. Stumbling, they made their way to the bed against the back wall. The chocolate and cream colored comforter was pulled away, and they fell on top of the cool cream sheets.

***

Early the next morning, with the sun streaming through the curtains, Mandy's eyes began to flutter open. Nick's arm was draped over her and she could feel his warm skin against hers. Instinctively, she wiggled back into him further. His grasp tightened and he hugged her even closer.

His lips made brief contact with her neck. "Morning." His voice was grainy with sleep.

Taking a breath and letting it out slowly, Mandy murmured, "Good morning." She rolled over, pulling away slightly so she could face him. "Sleep well?"

Chuckling, he reached a hand over to her. "Better than I have in a long time." He carefully moved a stray strand of hair away from her face.

Mandy tried to bite back a smile, "I'll take that as a compliment."

"You should," he tilted her chin up to meet her eyes. "You are an amazing woman."

She felt the heat spread over her cheeks. "You're not so bad yourself." She turned again and pulled herself out of bed. Not comfortable enough to walk around naked, she took his robe off of the nearby chair and slipped it over her shoulders.

Sauntering to the connected master bath, she called over her shoulder, "Mind if I take a shower?"

Watching every movement she made, he drawled, "Make yourself at home."

Momentarily leaning out the door, she added, "I won't lock the door."

Nick didn't require any further encouragement.

***

They spent the rest of the day taking it easy. They went for a morning walk, shared bagels and coffee, and talked.

A couple hours before Alex and Lily got home, Nick drove Mandy back to her place before returning home to get ready for his shift that night.

At her door, Mandy took a chance with something she had been thinking about for a while now. "I want you to meet my kids."

Nick knew how careful she had been about keeping their relationship separate from Alex and Lily. He paused, brushing her hair away from her face. "I'd like that."

Relief registered on her face, "Next weekend?" She took a breath. "Maybe we could do something together?"

"I'm looking forward to it." He kissed her softly. "I'll see you in a few hours."

She nodded, flashing a smile.

A short time later, Alex and Lily arrived home with stories about their cousins, about Sea World, and about the waves at the beach.

***

_To Be Continued…_


	7. Chapter 7

**Out of the Shadows**

_Big thank yous to __**Mingsmommy**__ and __**Smacky30**__ for their incredible beta skills, their encouragement, their advice, and their patience. This never would have happened without them. CSI is not mine, just borrowing and having lots of fun with it!_

_**Chapter 7**_

"Momma, I hungry." Mandy woke up to find Lily standing next to her bed, hitting the edge in an attempt to get her mother's attention.

"All right, all right." Groggily, Mandy rolled over and pulled herself out of bed. They made their way down the stairs and to the kitchen. "Cereal?"

"No." The little girl climbed up the bar stool.

Opening the refrigerator, she shuffled some things around. "Bagels?"

Lily shook her head.

"Oohh, how about cinnamon rolls?" Knowing the answer before it came; she pulled the tube of refrigerated dough out of the fridge and began to preheat the oven.

"With frosting?" Lily's eyes grew big with anticipation.

"Of course, with frosting." Mandy pulled the baking dish from the cupboard. "Lil, go tell your brother it's time to wake up."

Lily scooted off the stool and bounded up the stairs.

Once the rolls were in the oven, Mandy set to work on the juice. Her mind, however, was elsewhere. In a couple of hours, Nick was coming over to meet the kids for the first time, and the four of them were going to take a picnic lunch to the park only a few blocks away. Throughout the week, Nick and Mandy had gone back and forth on what to do with the kids. They finally agreed to a picnic at the park. Mandy had pushed for it, thinking that it would be less pressure because the kids loved going to the park anyway. If it went well they could make a day of it, and if it didn't…well, she wasn't going to think about that yet.

With the juice made and the cinnamon rolls in the oven, Mandy went upstairs to move the kids along. She helped them get dressed. Then the three ate their breakfast together.

"How would you two like to go to the park today?" Mandy pulled the pieces of the sticky treat apart before popping them into her mouth.

"Yay!" Lily cheered, splotches of creamy icing clinging to her lips and chin.

Alex just shrugged. Lately he seemed disagreeable to almost anything Mandy suggested. "I want to watch Spiderman."

"You can watch Spiderman while I take a shower." She watched as he perked up some. "Then we'll take a picnic lunch to the park."

Again she was met with nothing more than a shrug.

"I want to watch Dora, Alex." Lily practically growled out her brother's name.

"I'll turn Dora on in my room after you finish eating." Mandy paused a minute, taking a sip of juice. "A friend of mine is going to go with us."

"Pam?" Alex asked, with a hopeful smile. Mandy knew he loved playing with her oldest friend.

"No, not Pam…Someone I'm not sure you've ever really met."

"Who?" Alex questioned, as Lily looked on.

"His name's Nick. We work together."

"Oh," Alex stated plainly. He gulped down the last of his juice, "Can I watch Spiderman now?"

Deciding not to push the issue any further, Mandy got both kids settled before jumping in the shower.

Nearly an hour later, Alex was playing in the living room, and Lily was coloring at the kitchen counter, while Mandy put the finishing touches on lunch, when the door bell rang. _Here we go,_ Mandy thought to herself as Alex took off to the door, peeking out the window on the way.

"Who's that?" Alex shrieked.

Mandy made her way to the door, "That's mommy's friend, remember?"

"Oh, yeah." Alex watched as his mom opened the door.

"Hi," Nick greeted Mandy with a hesitant smile. She could only assume he'd heard Alex seconds earlier.

"Hey, we're almost ready." She held the door open for him. "Alex, this is Nick."

"Hi Alex." Nick knelt down. "I hear you're a Spiderman fan, too."

"You like Spiderman?" The child's eyes grew wide in excitement.

"Since I was your age." Nick began to relax a little. "In fact," Nick reached into the bag he'd carried in, "I brought something for you." He handed Alex a child-size soccer ball with Spiderman on it.

Alex immediately took it from him and showed his mom, "Can we take it to the park?"

"Of course," Mandy replied, thankful for how well it seemed to be going. "What do you say to Nick?"

Alex turned back to Nick, "Will you play with me?"

"Sure thing, Alex."

Stifling a giggle, Mandy added, "What else do you say?"

"Thank you." A sweet smile lit up the boys' features.

"You're welcome…You know I have something for your sister too, but I don't see her…"

Alex looked around, "She's hiding."

"She is?"

"Yeah, she doesn't like strangers."

"Oh."

"I think I know where to find her," Mandy offered, hoping Nick wouldn't take offense to her daughter's disappearance. She tilted her head toward the kitchen where Lily had returned to coloring, before taking Nick's hand and leading him into the other room.

"Lily, this is Nick."

"Hi Lily, I've heard a lot about you. It's nice to finally meet you."

Lily eyed him for a second, then looked back to her mother before turning back to her coloring.

"Lil, can you say 'hi'?" Mandy prodded.

After a pause, Nick tried again. "I have something for you."

That got the three-year-old's attention. "You do?" Her voice was soft and uncertain.

Nick pulled a second soccer ball out of his bag. This one was pale blue and pink with pictures of Dora on it.

Lily's eyes lit up as she nearly screamed "Dora!" She took it from him, and examined every picture, "Thank you!" Her smile grew, "Look Momma, Dora!"

"I see!" Mandy began packing the rest of the food up. "Why don't you go get your shoes on, and we'll leave in a couple minutes?"

Lily scooted off her stool and ran into the living room, Dora ball in hand.

They watched as she ran out. "Well, you certainly scored some points there."

"Too much?" His eyebrows furrowed in uncertainty.

"Not at all." Her hand stroked his arm, she knew today meant a lot, to both of them. She also knew how nervous he had been, asking questions about what to bring for them, what to say to them. She finally reminded him that her kids were just like his nieces and nephews who adored him back in Texas. "Did you see how excited they were? They'll love it more if you kick the balls with them for a while."

"You sure about this?"

"Time will tell," Mandy shrugged as she grabbed the bag of food off the counter. "Would you grab those, please?"

He followed, picking up the bag of sand toys Mandy indicated.

***

The park wasn't particularly busy so they were able to get a spot with some shade that was close enough to the sand box and play structures for Mandy to keep an eye on the kids. Both Lily and Alex ran for the playscape while Nick helped Mandy spread the blanket out.

"Should I go with them?" Nick asked hesitantly.

Mandy reached out to him, encouraging him to join her on the blanket. "They're fine, we can see them."

"I know, but isn't the point of today for us to get to know each other?" He waved his hand toward where the kids were playing.

Mandy nodded, "Yes, but…" she took a breath, trying to choose her next words very carefully.

"But what?"

"But," she shrugged, "You don't have to try to force it. You are going to get along great with them. Just relax, trust me." He looked so innocent and sweet right now, she wanted nothing more than to pull him close to her, and while she never considered herself a prude, this was different. Her kids could see them, and she wasn't quite ready for that. Taking his hand in hers, she gave a little squeeze.

Nick held on to her hand, and Mandy took it as a sign he understood. They settled in on the blanket, watching the kids play for awhile. Before long, an exhausted Alex and Lily made their way to the blanket.

"Mom, we're hungry." Alex flopped down in a boneless heap beside his mother.

"Ready for lunch?" She didn't bother waiting for an answer before pulling the sandwiches and plates out of the bag she'd packed.

They ate under the shade tree, listening to the other kids playing, running, and shouting. When they were done, Alex, Lily, and Nick got out the soccer balls Nick had given the kids and went off to kick them around. Nick even made a makeshift goal using the bag of sand toys as one side and the mini cooler as the other.

Mandy hung back on the blanket for awhile. She wanted the kids and Nick to have a chance to get to know each other without her interference, and because they seemed to be having a great time, she decided to take a little break.

Alex was aggressive with the ball. He would practice dribbling past Nick, who, for his part, would try to steal the ball away. Somehow Alex kept making it past him.

"Yay Alex!" Mandy cheered from the sidelines when Alex kicked the ball through the makeshift goal.

"Great job, kiddo!" Nick praised offering his hand for a high-five. Alex jumped and smacked his hand to Nick's with gusto.

Meanwhile, Lily was just trying to get her foot to make contact with her ball. She would move her foot to kick the ball and either miss or just nudge the ball slightly, but she kept at it.

When Alex ran to his mom for a drink of water, Nick went over to where Lily was. Mandy couldn't hear what was said, but she could see Nick showing Lily how to kick, and then she could only assume he was coaching her how to kick while she tried.

Alex went back over and both kids began to try to score off Nick. Mandy became the cheerleader as one after the other her kids' balls made it into the goal. Each time Nick feigned disappointment, and the kids laughed.

After awhile the kids were worn out, as was Nick. They piled back into the car and drove home.

As the temperature rose outside, they stayed inside. First they played a very dramatic game of Candyland, followed by a rousing match of Memory. They ordered pizza for dinner, and for the first time in a very long time Mandy got to eat something other than pepperoni on her pizza. When it was just the three of them, she couldn't justify ordering a whole pizza just for herself, but with Nick there, there was someone to help finish, or at least diminish the leftovers.

After the kids were in bed that night, Nick and Mandy cuddled up on the couch while watching _Bridget Jones' Diary _on TV. Nick's arm was wrapped around Mandy, "You know, there aren't a lot of people I'd be willing to watch Bridget Jones for." He kissed her cheek as he began to stroke her arm.

"I'll take that as a compliment then." She flashed a smile before cupping the side of his face drawing him to her, kiss her lovingly.

During a commercial break, Nick broke the silence, "How'd I do today?"

She sat up, "You did great. The kids really seemed to enjoy themselves."

"You think?"

"Yeah." She smiled, "They loved playing soccer with you, and you played games with them until they were ready to quit. Most days, I can barely do that."

"They're great kids."

"You'll get no argument from me about that." She teased, then in a serious tone she added, "And you were a great sport today. I really appreciate you spending your day off getting to know them."

"Well, it meant a lot to me that you asked me to meet them. I know it's not something you take lightly."

She smiled unsure of what to say next, she was just so touched that he got it. He understood that this was not a step she took lightly. She had agonized over when the right time was, but his actions today, and what he was saying now, only reinforced the fact that this was the right time.

"This…you aren't something I take lightly either," she said just before she covered his mouth with hers.

_To Be Continued…_


	8. Chapter 8

**Out of the Shadows**

_I can't thank __**Mingsmommy**__ and __**Smacky30**__ enough for all of the work they put into this. Still don't own CSI, but I enjoy having some fun with the characters!_

_**Chapter 8**_

"You ready to go?" Jacqui yawned as she entered the print lab.

"Almost," Mandy hit enter on the keyboard before glancing up. "I've run most of the prints from grave, but Warrick just brought in the prints lifted from his B&E a few minutes ago." She signed her name to a few reports as she rattled off the details, "So, those still need to be run." Closing the folders and stacking them into specific piles, she took a breath and scanned the room trying to be sure she hadn't forgotten anything. "Other than that, you should be set."

Jacqui watched as an anxious Mandy skittered around the room, checking everything one last time before leaving, doing her best to not be a burden. "I miss working after you. You sure you don't want to switch shifts?" She was only half kidding.

"Work after Miranda? I don't think so!" Mandy wasn't kidding at all.

Shrugging as she began to look through the file on Warrick's case, Jacqui said, "Can't blame me for asking."

"No, I can't." She paused, "Is it really that bad?" She needed to leave, but was cautiously venturing into _Lead Print Tech _territory. "I mean she _is _doing her job, isn't she?"

The look Jacqui gave her told Mandy that the day-shift print tech was not actually pulling her weight. Taking a slow breath, she spoke. "I'll talk to some people on Days and see what's happening."

"Thanks, I'd appreciate it."

"Well, thank you for coming in early." She really was grateful. Jacqui had already been roped into covering for Miranda, again, and now she'd agreed to come in early so Mandy could leave a couple of hours early.

"For you babe, anything." She continued to familiarize herself with Warrick's case. "Good luck, and for the love of God, don't let him see you cry!"

Mandy's eyebrows shot up, "I make no promises." She gathered up the stacks of reports and left the lab to deliver the results that hadn't been picked up yet.

After making the rounds to Grissom, Catherine, and Sara, she went straight to the locker room. "Hey, you ready?" That Texas drawl caught her attention.

"All set." She replied, wanting to fall into his arms; that smile did it to her every time.

Not much later, they walked into Mandy's kitchen. Nick got to work making the chocolate chip pancakes he'd promised.

"Alex," she nudged the sleeping boy's shoulder. "Alex…Alex baby, it's time to get up."

The little boy's blue eyes popped open, "It's today?"

"Yes, it's today." Mandy elicited giggles from the child when she briefly tickled him as she pulled the covers back. Alex's legs swung over the edge of the bed. "Your clothes are sitting on the dresser; when you're ready Nick's making breakfast."

Mandy moved on to Lily's room to get her up and ready.

Nick had just poured pancake batter onto the hot griddle when Mandy's mom, Irene, freshly showered and dressed emerged from the stairwell, going straight for the coffee pot. "Morning, Nick." She casually watched over his shoulder as he worked.

Nick and Irene's first official meeting was at a dinner before shift a few days after he met the kids. It was not a pleasant memory for Nick. Something about the woman made him feel very uncomfortable. She said very little during their dinner, but seemed to be studying him. He knew she was making mental notes of everything he said. She watched what he ate and how he ate, and noticed every movement he made; especially the absent minded way he laid his hand on Mandy's during the meal.

Nick didn't know for sure how the family matriarch felt about him, but he didn't think it was good.

"What are you making?" She blew gently on the coffee before taking a sip.

"Alex's request." The batter sizzled on the griddle. "Chocolate chip pancakes."

"Chocolate chip pancakes?" Her voiced reeked of disgust.

"They're actually quite good." Mandy's voice gave Nick the chance to relax the muscles he didn't realize had tightened over the last few minutes. "Of course, Nick's specialty is pancakes; I'm sure he could even make pancakes with lima beans taste good." She smiled up at him as she wrapped an arm around his waist and stood close, knowing full well her mother was watching.

Greatly appreciating the show of support, Nick plated the pancakes and handed them to Mandy, "Kids ready?"

"Ready and waiting." She took the plate to the table. "Guys, time to eat." She called to the living room where the kids were getting their bags and shoes sorted.

They ran to the table where Mandy gave them each a pancake. Alex took care of his own, but Mandy cut-up and poured a little syrup on Lily's for her. "Thank you, Momma."

Mandy patted her youngest's head, "You're welcome, baby." She looked across the table, "Alex, how are the pancakes?"

Swallowing, Alex gave a toothy grin, "Good!"

"You know, Nick made those just for you," Mandy nudged.

"Thank you, Nick!" Alex called to the kitchen.

"You're welcome, buddy." Nick flipped the sizzling pancakes.

"Thank you, Nicky!" Lily echoed her brother.

"You're welcome, too, sweetie." He turned to Irene, "Irene, there's plenty if you'd like some."

Irene caught Mandy eyeing her from the dining room, "I…why not?" Shrugging, she walked over and joined her grandchildren at the table.

When the next batch was done, Nick and Mandy ate their breakfast as well.

When the kids finished, they went up stairs to brush their teeth and wash their faces, before returning. Their lunches were added to the backpacks, and they said good-bye to Irene when she left for work.

The four walked outside to wait for the bus. Mandy's camera in hand. She took a couple shots of both kids together, and shot of each one alone. Then, Nick took a family shot. When the bus pulled up, Mandy fought the tears that threatened to escape, but she waved and wished her little kindergartener well on his first day as he climbed those tall steps onto the yellow bus. This time it was Nick's turn to wrap a supportive arm around her. She stood there watching until the bus rounded the corner and was completely out of sight, allowing Nick to pull her into a comforting embrace.

"Can we go to my school now?" Lily was pulling on Mandy's shirt.

"Yes, baby, it's time to go to your school." It was going to be Lily's first time at preschool without her big brother. Mandy was impressed when she dropped her youngest off. There were no tears and no cries begging her mother not to leave her. Her little girl had really grown up.

Getting back home, Nick and Mandy settled onto the couch. Nick had promised a movie that wouldn't depress or sadden her, since she had already shed a few tears that morning.

Nick cued up the movie while Mandy made a small snack in the kitchen. Upon hearing the beep on the microwave, Mandy moved quickly to pour the hot popcorn into the dish on the counter. As she worked, she called out, "Beer?"

"I got it," Nick replied as he got up off the couch and crossed the threshold to the kitchen. When he opened the fridge, he asked, "Beer or hard lemonade?"

"Lemonade, please." Mandy picked up the dish of popcorn and lead the way to the couch. After setting the snack in the middle of the coffee table, she quickly arranged two coasters on either side of the bowl. Almost immediately, Nick covered them with two opened bottles. "What'd ya get?" Mandy motioned to the DVD player, tucking one leg under her.

A sly smile crossed his face as he picked up the remote and leaned back into the welcoming couch.

"Nick," Mandy prodded, a little worried about what she may have to sit through.

Nicked pushed the _play _button, "Fast Times at Ridgemont High."

Mandy chuckled, "I haven't seen that in years." She grabbed a handful of popcorn and settled back into the nook created where Nick's shoulder met the back of the couch to watch the movie.

Picking up the remote again, he adjusted the volume before moving his arm, and pulling Mandy closer. With his other hand he grabbed a handful of popcorn. He enjoyed the warmth of Mandy's body scooting close to his. She had picked up the bowl of popcorn and set it on her lap, so they could both continue to enjoy the buttery snack without disturbing their oh-so-comfortable positions.

With half the popcorn left in the bowl, Mandy offered it to Nick, "You want anymore?"

"Maybe later." Nick watched as she set the purple bowl on the coffee table. When she leaned back into him, he gently rubbed his hands up and down her arms. "You're off Labor Day weekend, right?"

"Uh-huh." She turned a little so she could comfortably lift her feet to the couch and stretch out.

He took a breath, letting it out slowly, "How would you feel about flying to Dallas with me?"

Her body stiffened slightly. "Dallas?" She tentatively asked.

"Yeah."

She shifted again to pull herself up. "Your parents' home? Is that what you mean by Dallas?"

"Yes."

"You want me to meet your family?"

He nodded.

"Are you sure?" Her head felt foggy.

Snorting, he rolled his eyes. "Yes, Mandy I want you to come home with me."

"Really?"

"Mandy, I've met your kids and your mother, and I adore your kids." When she challenged him with her eyes, he continued, "I'm sure, with time, I'll…eventually…like your mom."

"Uh huh." She methodically nodded her head.

"Anyway," he attempted to take the conversation back to where he wanted it, "You said the kids were spending the weekend with Mike's parents, so I was hoping maybe that you'd like to come home with me."

Mandy's heart began to quicken slightly, "Okay."

"Okay?"

"I'll go with you." She thought for a second, "It'll be interesting to see where you come from."

"You sound scared."

"I'm not scared…Maybe a little nervous, but not scared."

"You'll be fine. They'll love you. Just like I do."

_To Be Continued…_


	9. Chapter 9

**Out of the Shadows**

_I can't thank __**Mingsmommy**__ and __**Smacky30**__ enough for all of the work they put into this. Still don't own CSI, but enjoy having some fun with the characters!_

Mandy had planned to stay over a little while into the day shift, which was a good thing considering Miranda was running late, yet again. Once she finally showed up and Mandy gave her the _people depend on you being here _lecture, which led to Miranda becoming defensive.

Afterwards, Mandy did some investigating on her own. She had a meeting with Ecklie as well as representatives from other areas of the lab scheduled for nine in the morning, and that gave her an hour.

"Sofia," Mandy called out when she saw the Day shift CSI, as well as Ecklie's right hand woman, walking down the hall.

"Mandy," Sofia stopped walking and turned to face Mandy. "The meeting isn't for another hour, right?"

"Yeah," Mandy hesitated. This part of supervising made her uncomfortable. "I was actually hoping to talk with you about something." When Mandy worked day shift, she and Sofia always got along well, so Mandy hoped she could get an honest opinion out of the CSI.

"What's up?" Sofia walked a few feet to one of the layout rooms, holding the door open for Mandy.

After walking into the room, Mandy flipped the light on, causing them both to blink against the sudden brightness. "I…" she took a breath, "Well…I'm wondering about how Miranda is working out on days?" After her initial nerves, she found her voice and asked the question that had been on her mind for a week now.

"Ohh," With a single finger, Sofia flipped her long locks over her shoulder. "Why are you asking?" Her tone was friendly, more curious than accusatory.

"Between you and me?" Mandy's eyebrows arched up.

"Okay."

Pulling her bottom lip between her teeth, she thought very carefully about how to phrase the next part. "I'm finding more and more that a lot of work is being left for swing shift." She quickly added, "I guess I'm wondering if there has just been a lot more work coming from the day shift, or if there is another problem I should be aware of?"

A sly smile began to tug at one corner of Sofia's lips. She glanced at the door, and then hushed her voice slightly. "I think I understand. You're wondering if Miranda is…shall we say, slacking off?"

"That's one way to put it." Mandy relaxed slightly. "Jacqui is one of the best techs around and she's been finishing a lot of Miranda's work. To be fair, on occasion we've all left a few things here and there for the next shift, but this is apparently happening daily. I mean, I almost never leave anything for Miranda, and Jacqui never leaves me with a backlog, but…"

"But Miranda's not quite as …courteous?"

"Right."

Nodding her understanding, "Okay, between you and me, you're not the only one to notice. I talked to Ecklie about it after Michaels and O'Malley brought their problems to me."

"What did Ecklie say?"

"He said he'd look into it."

"Did he?"

She shrugged, "I'm not sure, but if you're having problems with her as well, you should talk to him. You could probably talk to him after the lab meeting today."

"Yeah," she exhaled slowly, "I just hate being the one to rat out a co-worker."

Frowning slightly, Sofia said, "Welcome to the world of supervising…"

After the meeting, Mandy spoke with Ecklie about her concerns. As it turned out he had similar ones. Because Mandy was going to be gone for the weekend, it was decided they would wait until she came back before the two of them met with Miranda. At least by waiting until Mandy's return before the confrontation, the young technician couldn't get defensive and walk away from her job, leaving only Jacqui to cover the weekend.

***

Friday she flew to Texas with Nick. "Mandy, they're going to love you," he reassured her as the plane touched down.

"Nick, they are conservative republicans from Texas. I am a liberal democrat from Massachusetts. Hell, I even volunteered for the Gore Campaign!"

"Mandy, _I_ am a republican from Texas and _I_ love you."

Mandy chewed on her lip before answering, "Yeah, but you're far from conservative."

He just laughed as he gave her a quick kiss before gathering their belongings together.

"Is this how you felt when you met my mom?" She was looking for reassurance.

"No, not really," he teased. "When I met your mom, I knew I was only a couple miles from home and could leave anytime."

Sternly, she retorted, "That's not helping."

Nick sat back down and placed his hand below her chin, tilting her head up slightly. "Mandy, listen to me." Her eyes met his. "I love you…More than I ever imagined I would." He paused, not breaking the eye contact. "Nothing could possibly happen on this trip that would change that."

Mandy pulled him to her, their lips connecting briefly before pulling him into a tight hug. She whispered in his ear, "I love you so much."

Squeezing her tightly before releasing her, he said, "We need to go now."

Mandy looked around to the now nearly empty plane. Swallowing, she nodded her agreement. They finished gathering their things before disembarking.

After the initial introductions, she felt calmer. Mandy made it through a Stokes family meal without too many problems. She avoided the topics of politics and religion. Nick could tell there were a couple times she wanted to say something, but chose not to. When they were alone later that night he said, "I hope someday you're able to relax enough around my parents to share your opinions. What you don't realize is that my dad loves a good debate. Some of his best friends disagree with him all of the time."

Mandy was ready for a different subject, "So, is this your personal shrine?" She walked around Nick's childhood room, noting the collection of awards for various sports. Everything from peewee baseball to high school track and field was represented.

Mandy took a seat on the edge of the bed he'd slept in while in high school. Nick surrounded her back, and began to rub her shoulders.

"Thanks for coming here with me," he whispered in her ear.

"Thanks for bringing me." The significance of the trip was not lost on her.

The massage became deeper. Nick slipped his hands under her shirt, and eventually they made their way to the front. Mandy turned her head to the side to meet his lips.

Suddenly Mandy became aware of what they were about to do, "Nick," she gasped, "We can't, not here."

"Mandy, everyone else is asleep. No one will hear us." He kissed her again and all her arguments faded away under the sweet heat of his mouth on hers.

The next morning, Jillian gave her the oddest look. Mandy instantly knew that the other woman knew. As soon as the opportunity presented itself, she cornered Nick, "YOUR MOM KNOWS!" She hissed at him.

"What?"

"She looked like she was going to tear me apart!" Mandy felt humiliated, this was not the first impression she wanted to make.

"Mandy, I'm over thirty. I'm allowed to make love to my girlfriend." He looked like he was trying to stop himself from laughing, which only served to upset Mandy even more.

"Not in your parents' house." She was really more angry with herself than with him. But he didn't have to take it so lightly.

"Mands," he took her hands in his, "You're over reacting."

"No, I'm not. I don't care if you're fifty; you're still your mother's little boy. And now she holds me responsible for screwing her little boy!"

Nick began to laugh, "You know, you're not a very good liberal. Careful or you'll start voting Republican."

The hard stare she gave him said far more than words ever could.

"Come on," he nudged her arm, encouraging her to follow him, which she did, out the door and down the path that led to a nearby wooded area.

Mandy kept her mouth closed as they walked for fear of making matters worse. _Overreacting? How could he think I was overreacting? His MOTHER heard us! Why doesn't that bother him? _The debate continued in her head as they walked. Nick seemed to be giving her time to calm down.

They came to a spot where a tall, thick tree had fallen. Nick stopped there, and looked around. "This must have happened during that storm my dad was talking about last night."

Mandy didn't really know what to say to that, so she just shrugged. Now she was looking around absently, waiting for him to continue leading the way.

When he didn't she decided to take a break and sit on the fallen tree. Nick walked over and joined her, sitting right next to her. She looked over to him and smiled weakly. "I just wish you understood why it bothers me."

He bent down and picked up a stray twig on the ground. "It bothers you because my mom knows we…" he paused, twirling the stick in his hand, before looking over to her, "Made love last night."

The way he said it, with love and devotion sent warm waves through her body. She leaned her head onto his shoulder, "Yes…It's uncomfortable. You know, like _Nice to meet you Mrs. Stokes, now please excuse me while I screw your son's brains out._"

"Well, that's one way to put it." Nick wrapped his arm around Mandy. "For what it's worth, you know you only have to put up with my family for one more day, but when we get home, your mom and I cross paths at least two or three times a week."

"True, but the difference is my mom is judging me, not you. Your mom is also watching me. She didn't shoot you…_that_ look this morning. _That_ pleasure was reserved for me."

"Okay, I'll give you that. But with me, you just get me. Don't get me wrong, I love Alex and Lily, but it's a little overwhelming to know that their opinion does matter, and far more than your mom's or my mom's. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that, just that it can be a lot of pressure."

She placed a hand on his leg, and gently massaged his thigh. "For what it's worth, the kids adore you. They have since the first time you met them." She allowed her body to relax more into his. "You're great with them."

She could feel Nick's chest heaving with a deep breath. "If I ask you something, will you answer honestly?"

"Of course." She pulled herself more upright, sensing the conversation was about to become more serious.

"Have you ever thought about having another kid?" He stared off into the woods.

She found a tree root poking through the path to focus on. "Yes." She answered plainly. "Mike and I talked about having a third, maybe even a fourth, but we wanted to wait a couple of years." She chuckled to herself at the irony of believing that they had a couple years to wait.

Still looking ahead, he gently placed his hand on her back. "What about now? Do you still think you want another one?"

Her eyes followed the root until it disappeared under the forest floor. "I don't know." She was being honest. There were a lot of factors to consider. She continued cautiously. "Are you asking if I'd consider having a baby with you? You know if our…relationship progressed from here?"

"Yeah, I…I guess I am." His hand was still resting on her back, but neither looked at the other.

"Okay…well, it would depend."

"On what?" He chanced a glance at her.

She looked over at him, "I do still want another child, but I can't do that if it hurts Alex and Lily in any way."

"You're wondering if I would treat all three kids equally, or if…I would …be a better father to my biological child."

She knew he was choosing his words carefully, that he'd put a lot of thought into this. "Right."

"That's fair. You know I love Alex and Lily, and that wouldn't change. Any child we have together," his hand began to trace circles on her back, "would be their brother or sister…_If _we got to that point, we'd be one family, not smaller ones pushed together."

"One family?"

He hesitantly nodded.

"I like the sound of that." She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Are you saying you want…a future together?"

"Mandy, I spend my days off with your kids, I've met your mother. You're here now, meeting my family," his forehead leaned against hers. "I'm _hoping_ for a future with you." He captured her lips with his. 

_To Be Continued…_


	10. Chapter 10

**Out of the Shadows**

_I can't thank __**Mingsmommy**__ and __**Smacky30**__ enough for all of the work they put into this. _

_It's finally done! I am considering a sequel, but it's a distant project at this point. Thank you for all of the support that has been sent my way throughout this process. _

_Still don't own CSI, but enjoy having some fun with the characters!_

"Hey stranger," Nick sauntered into the break room. "What are you still doing here?"

"Plotting Miranda's death." Mandy answered stoically as she dropped her head into her hands. While Nick and Mandy were in Dallas, Miranda got into a yelling match with Ecklie, which led to her firing. Mandy had just turned her phone on after landing at McCarran when it began to ring. She was being called into work six hours early, and she and Jacqui had been working twelve hour shifts ever since.

"That bad?" He moved to stand behind her, rubbing her shoulders.

"Uh huh." She could only manage a mumble, too tired to actually move her lips to create coherent words.

"Are they any closer to filling her spot?"

Her head shook slowly back and forth, "It doesn't seem to be a priority now that there's a pissing contest between the shift supervisors and Ecklie." Normally she wouldn't be so harsh, but not having a day off in over two weeks brought out her inner bitch.

Giving her shoulders one last squeeze, he walked over to the coffee pot and returned with two cups, one of which she eagerly accepted. Calming slightly after the first sip, "How's working under Catherine going?"

"Good," he took a sip, "I just wish I could get used to the earlier shift."

Mandy let out a sigh mixed with a half smile as Warrick and Catherine entered the room. She took the last few minutes of her break as assignments were handed out for swing shift.

***

The door opened only a few minutes after she rang the bell. "I'm too exhausted to make it all the way to my place." They walked into his living room. "You mind if I just get," her words were interrupted by a long yawn, "a little sleep here?"

Wrapping an arm around her, he guided her to the bedroom. "Not at all."

She absently slipped off her slacks and blouse, leaving only her panties and cami on before climbing into the very welcoming bed. Inhaling deeply, she took in his scent from the pillow. It comforted and relaxed her immediately.

Nick pulled the covers over her. "You're already up for the day, aren't you?" She didn't even bother trying to hide her disappointment.

"Yeah, I am." His voice echoed how she was feeling. She knew he was sleeping after his shift now, but had hoped she could crawl in bed with him. It felt like an eternity since they were able to spend any time together. He pulled the sheets further up on her, "I could stay until you fall asleep?"

Her face brightened with a sleepy smile. Turning onto her side to face him, she settled in and began to slip away. The last thing she remembered was his hand stroking her face softly, gently, coaxing her to sleep.

When she woke up she could hear Nick in the other room, talking on his phone. She decided to slip into the bathroom. When they were on the same shift, there were many days they'd sleep together at his place, so Mandy had a few things there. She couldn't help but feel comforted at the sight of her toothbrush next to his in the cup on the bathroom counter. Brushing her teeth and washing her face quickly, she made her way out to the living room.

"Uh huh." Nick was still on the phone while sitting on the couch, his back to her as she entered the room. "Mom, if you want to know what Natalie thinks, why don't you ask her?"

Mandy sat on the edge of the couch, slipping an arm around his neck.

Her presence seemed to startle him at first, but when he noticed that she was still only wearing what she had gone to sleep in, a sly smile spread across his face. "Mom, I have something I need to do before work, I'll call you back later…Love you too…Bye."

He hung up the phone and tossed it to the coffee table before turning all of his attention to his nearly naked girlfriend. He ran a hand up her thigh and she leaned down capturing his lips with hers in a blistering kiss. It had been way too long.

Afterwards, they lay together for a few minutes before Nick had to get to work and Mandy had to pick up the kids. It was a few minutes of stolen pleasure before the rest of the world once again intruded.

***

That night, a surprise greeted Mandy at the lab; Ecklie, having to approve too much overtime for the county's liking, had left a message requesting that she stay into the day tomorrow, because he had finally set up interviews for the new print tech and wanted Mandy to sit in on them.

Within a few days, Rob Martin was hired and after the initial training and breaking in period, life calmed down for Mandy. Unfortunately, Nick was still on swing shift, and now that she was working her normal shift, they rarely had much time together. They tried to meet for a late lunch before Nick went in, but unless one of them had a day off, their time together was a rarity, so when the opportunity presented itself, they jumped on it.

The Saturday before Christmas, Mandy drove home from work to pick up the kids and take them to Catherine's house for what had been the graveyard shift's annual Christmas Party. Now it included both grave and swing. So what if it was ten in the morning? It was the only time that allowed the groups to gather outside of work.

Catherine had thought of everything: there were breakfast and dinner foods on the buffet and anything a person would want to drink from juice and coffee to alcohol. She even paid Lindsey to keep the kids entertained so their parents could relax and have fun.

Mandy arrived after most of the other guests. Lindsey took Alex and Lily to her room while the adults made their way to the buffet.

Having to work through her break last night, Mandy was starved. She made a bee line for the food. A few minutes later, she was sitting on the couch with a bagel, some fruit, and a glass of wine, a combination she had never had before but was enjoying all the same.

"Anybody sitting here?" She heard a familiar voice inquire.

She was caught a little off guard, so she quickly chewed and swallowed the bagel bit in her mouth before replying, "You." She motioned towards the section of couch next to her.

Nick took the seat, "So, bagel and wine?"

"Hey, don't knock it until you've tried it," she smiled at him. "Besides, I don't have to take a sip to know how Irish your coffee is." She raised her eyebrows and nodded her head toward the coffee cup.

In the background the volume of the music suddenly increased, catching them by surprise. They laughed it off, realizing they were both feeling a little uncomfortable. They had gotten used to being a couple when they were alone, or even with the kids, but they still walked on eggshells around their coworkers.

They kept it all business at the lab, but in social settings, they were still navigating their way. It wasn't like Doc Robbins bringing his wife, or Archie bringing a girlfriend. Both Nick and Mandy had connections to the lab, and that made it all the more difficult at times. They hoped that would change over time, but in truth they hadn't spent a lot of time together as a couple with their coworkers.

As Mandy relaxed back into the couch, Nick picked a strawberry off of her plate, "Did you finish all of your shopping?"

She nodded. "Now I just need to get it all wrapped." She sighed and sipped her wine.

"Well, if you need any help, I've trained with Santa's best elves."

"You know, if you're one of Santa's helpers, it's only fair that you stick around and enjoy the excitement of Christmas morning."

"Why, Ms. Webster, are you inviting me to spend Christmas with your family?"

She cocked her head to the side, "Yeah, I guess I am."

"Momma," Lily came running up, "I want a bagel."

"Here, babe." Mandy broke off a piece of her bagel and handed it to her daughter.

Lily put her hands on her hips and shook her head, "I want my own."

Nick stood, "Come on, Lil, I'll help you get it."

After thinking for a second, Lily took his hand.

Mandy called after him, "Nick-"

He turned, giving a knowing smile, "I know, only half and light on the cream cheese."

"Thanks." She appreciated actually being able to finish her meal for once.

Sara slid into the recently vacated seat next to Mandy. "It looks like Lily's really taken to Nick."

Mandy wistfully watched as Nick picked up the bagel Lily pointed out. "Yeah. They've become quite the pair." It was so nice to see her kids take to Nick, and to see that Nick actually seemed to enjoy spending time with her kids.

The party lasted another couple hours before the crowd dispersed to head home for some much needed sleep before the start of shift that night. Mandy went straight to bed as Lily and Alex helped their grandmother make cookies.

The next morning, Nick went over to Mandy's, arriving just in time to have breakfast with her and the kids. Irene wasn't thrilled to see him so early. She felt the two were spending too much time together in front of the kids, setting a bad example. A fact she shared with Mandy on multiple occasions, while Mandy smiled, nodded, and ignored.

The mood lifted when Irene left. Mandy surprised the kids by announcing, "After breakfast we'll go pick out a Christmas tree."

"Can we go out for lunch, too?" Alex asked.

Mandy glanced to Nick, not wanting to commit him to more than he was ready for. When he gave a subtle nod as agreement, she responded, "We could do that."

Before long the kids were finished with their cereal. "Okay, go get dressed. Lily your clothes are on your bed." Then she turned her attention to Alex, "Your jeans are on your bed. You need a shirt, underwear and socks."

They bounded up the stairs as Mandy called after them, "Don't forget to wash your face and brush your teeth!" She thought for a second, "Alex, help your sister."

Lily called back, "I don't need help!"

Mandy amended her last statement, "Alex, don't help your sister…Unless she needs it."

Nick snickered at the exchange, knowing it was a common one in this house. Mandy picked up her plate and Alex's bowl and took it to the kitchen. Nick picked up his plate along with Lily's bowl and followed Mandy. "Are you sure I'm not imposing by tagging along today?" He set the dishes down next to the sink where Mandy was rinsing the others before leaning back against the counter behind her, crossing his arms in front of him.

Turning off the water, she moved in front of him, wrapped her arms around his neck and said, "I want you with us."

Nick met her gaze, "Are you sure?"

She nodded. "And the kids have fun with you."

He smiled at that bit. "I have fun with them too."

She leaned in and kissed his check before whispering in his ear, "I know." Then she released her hold and went back to cleaning the dishes. "Besides, the tree will be easier to bring back on your truck, than my car, and we'll need you to carry the tree in and set it up. So, there are lots of reasons we want you to go."

Nick stopped in his path back to the table for more dishes. "Smart ass."

She laughed.

Less than an hour later they were in the car on their way to the tree lot. Without much fuss, they picked out what Mandy called, "The perfect tree," and after securing the tree to the back of Nick's truck, they went to a nearby diner for lunch.

They were taken to a booth, and after Mandy sat down, the kids began to argue over who got to sit next to Nick. Mandy couldn't help but feel some pity for the man who didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings. Eventually, Lily agreed to sit next to her mother, reluctantly, and as long as Nick sat across from her.

They sat quietly, the adults looking over the menu and the kids coloring theirs. The calm was shattered when Lily reached over and grabbed Alex's green crayon. "That's mine!"

"Alex," Mandy admonished. "Quieter voice please."

"She took my crayon!" Alex made a futile attempt to reach for the green crayon.

"Lily?" Mandy hadn't seen the offense, but knew her daughter well enough to believe Alex.

"I needed it!" Lily's grasp on the crayon tightened as she pulled her arms close to her body.

"It's mine!" Alex repeated.

"Hey, Alex," Nick tried to help, "why don't you decide what you want while Lily finishes with the crayon?"

Alex immediately replied, "Chicken nuggets and French fries. I want it back!"

"Lily, give the crayon back." Mandy tried to pry it from her daughter's fingers.

Lily shook her body from side to side and grunted.

"Lillian Eleanor Webster, if you want something, you ask for it. You do not just take it." She stopped trying to get the crayon from the child. "Give it back to your brother now, or we leave and go home without lunch."

Lily thought for a moment, and then threw the crayon across the table to her brother. Who proceeded to use it for all of five seconds and then he was on to something else.

Nick took the whole scene in as Mandy handled Lily.

When Lily was calm and coloring again, Mandy turned with reddened cheeks to Nick. "I'm sorry." She adored her kids, but could still be embarrassed by their behavior, especially when they knew what they are doing is unacceptable.

Nick's arm was draped over the back of the booth, behind Alex. He looked over to Alex's drawing and back to Mandy. "In case you don't remember, I have a bunch of siblings, darlin'. I have had many a crayon taken from me and I've pilfered a few myself."

She looked at him, noting the amusement in his eyes, and nodded. Her whole body relaxed as she released the breath she didn't realize she'd been holding.

After lunch they went back to Mandy's and set the tree up. Then they began to decorate it with all of the kids' ornaments. Some were craft projects from school, others were gifts like, "Baby's 1st Christmas" ornaments. Mandy inhaled the fresh pine scent as she watched her little darlings hastily ply the tree with their treasures. Before long, the bottom half of the tree was completely covered with the kids' creations and special moments. Once that was complete, Nick was pulled into a rousing game of Memory with the kids while Mandy made dinner.

After dinner it was movie night. The scent of popping corn permeated the house thanks to Nick, while Mandy got the kids in their pajamas. He was just adding the melted butter when Mandy brought Alex, Lily, and an armful of pillows and blankets down the stairs. She set the kids up on the floor and then cued up _Elmo saves Christmas_.

Nick, who had found himself quite at home in Mandy's kitchen, filled two small bowls and one large one with popcorn, grabbed a couple of cold beers, and poured juice into two brightly colored sippy cups. He placed everything strategically on the tray and carried it into the living room just as the movie started.

The kids were settled on the floor with their treats, and Nick and Mandy sat on the couch sharing a bowl of popcorn, drinking their beer and finding more enjoyment from being near each other than any adult could find from Elmo.

After the movie, the kids were put to bed and Mandy pulled out the ornaments for the top of the tree. Nick decided to take a chance. He watched as she sorted through the ornament boxes that had yet to be opened this year.

She carefully placed a hook in a few ornaments and hung them on the tree. "Don't just stand there cowboy, there's enough here for you, too."

He took a breath, gently rubbed her shoulders for a second, and said, "How 'bout if I put the hooks on and you hang them where you want them?"

"Okay." She took the first offered ornament. It was one from when she was a kid. A small brass sleigh with Santa and toys engraved with her name and the year 1978 on it. For Mandy, going through the ornaments every year was like a trip down memory lane. She was reminded of family vactions, special moments, and interests she'd had throughout her life.

One by one Nick attached a hook to each ornament and handed it to Mandy to place on the tree. She took each one and found just the right spot, sometimes sharing memories of the past with him. Then he handed her one that caught her off guard. Nick had placed a simple solitaire at the end of one of the hooks and casually handed it to Mandy.

Mandy, without realizing it hung it on the tree, and then turned back to look at it once again, "Nick?" Her voice was soft and nervous.

He was now standing directly behind her as she turned to face him, he took the ring from her, "Merry Christmas," he smiled the biggest smile she had ever seen come from him. "Spend every Christmas with me." It was a statement, not a question. He took her left hand and placed the solitaire on her ring finger before kissing her again.

Mandy broke the kiss first, "Nick…I don't know if…I uh." She couldn't get the words to come out the way she wanted. So many uncertainties ran through her head. She took a breath and started again. "Nick, it's not just me. I have Alex and Lily to consider."

"I know and I love them, you know that." He held onto her as if letting go meant losing her forever.

"I know." She didn't fight his embrace, but welcomed it.

"I love you. I love Alex. I love Lily." He licked his lips, "Give me one reason why we shouldn't do this."

She actually tried to come up with something, but couldn't. The truth was, the kids adored Nick, and she loved him. She still missed Mike, but Nick had brought her back to life when she felt lost. "I can't. I don't have one." Her voice was barely a whisper.

"Is that a yes?" His was full of hope.

She nodded as tears began to sting her eyes, "Yes."

They fell into a deep, passionate kiss, and eventually moved up to Mandy's bedroom. Nick spent the night for the first time that night, but Mandy refused to let the kids find him there. They woke up early, got dressed, and went down stairs. Nick left to go home and change while Mandy made breakfast for the kids.

She moved a little slower that morning, stopping every couple of minutes to admire the ornament that never made it back to the tree.

Nick brought back some coffee and bagels, purchased during his attempt to give the kids enough time to wake up and get downstairs.

Mandy gratefully accepted the nonfat mocha and chocolate chip bagel he'd brought, and the kids eagerly forgot the cold cereal they'd started eating for the cinnamon and sugar bagels with strawberry cream cheese Nick had brought just for them.

They all sat around the kitchen table. Nick and Mandy sat on one side, and Alex and Lily sat on the other side. After a minute of silence, which the kids barely noticed because they were too busy eating, Mandy started, "Hey guys." When they looked up she continued, "How would you feel about Nick moving in here, with us?" She immediately realized that may not have been the best way to begin the conversation.

"Would Grandma still spend the night with us?" Alex asked.

"On the nights we work, yes." Mandy answered.

"Okay." He shrugged and returned to his bagel.

"Can we do more movie nights like last night?" Lily asked.

"Maybe." She shrugged.

"Is Nick moving in today?" Alex asked.

"No, kiddo." Nick wrapped an arm around Mandy. "Your mom and I are going to get married first."

"Are you going to be our new daddy?" Alex cocked his head to side.

Nick and Mandy exchanged glances. "Alex, no one can ever take the place of your dad, but yes, in a way, Nick will be your new daddy."

The boy nodded slowly, "Do we have to call him Dad?"

"Alex, what would you like to call me?"

"I like Nick." He spoke matter-of-factly.

"Then, Nick it is."

"Can I change my mind later if I want?"

"Of course." Nick smiled.

A few days later, Nick spent Christmas with his new family and a very unsure future mother-in-law.

* * *

_The End_


End file.
